大唐双龙传 [Da Tang Shuang Long Zhuan] by Huang Yi

[BocahTuaNakal]

why do i sense that the boys will go their own ways soon ....

thanks, foxs

[Ysabelkid]

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[HPC7595]

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[Anh Nam]

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[chualot]

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[Lost Tale]

Thx Fox for this translation. I usually w8 until chapter stockpile grows a bit before reading it but im definitely enjoying it very much. Have a nice day everyone.

[Laoren]

Thanks foxs. Now impatiently waiting for tomorrow. In the meantime have a , ok now back to

[foxs]

Jaya, Ysabel, HPC, Anh, Chua, you re welcome. Bocah, soon, soon ... Lost Tale, thanks for letting me know. Welcome, by the way. Lao Qianbei, here it is, end of Chapter 3.

---

Yu Shiji stepped in between Fei Yun and Kou and Xu, two boys; he tried to persuade using all possible arguments, “This is just a minor misunderstanding, two Xiao Xiongdi must not let emotions dictate your decision.”

Kou Zhong stared coldly at Fei Yun for a moment, and then he calmly said, “Xiao Ling is right, we have to go! If you insist on us, two brothers, staying, I don’t even know what I might say next time we see His Highness.”

With a cold laugh Fei Yun said, “You dare to threaten us.”

Yu Shiji stared hard at Fei Yun, but at the same time he signaled him to keep calm and not be impatient, to deal with these two boys later. And then, putting up a smile he said, “Two Xiao Xiongdi did not know it, but although the account book has been given to His Highness, but as for when he will actually thumb through it, even His Highness himself did not know.”

Xu Ziling was taken aback, “So Yu Daren has not told His Highness?” he asked.

“Of course I have,” Yu Shiji replied, “But His Highness acted as if he did not hear it; he was busy kissing and petting with Imperial Concubine Xiao, and simply told us to put it down, so that he could look at it when he has time. Therefore, we still have to rely on two gentlemen. Hey! I heard from Yushan that Yuwen Huaji is your big enemy, we all have anger against a common enemy, don’t be concerned over this kind of small things!”

Turning to Xu Ziling, Kou Zhong asked, “What do you think we should do?”

Xu Ziling was well aware that unless they fought the problem on their face, they would never leave this dreadful place. If it were only the two of them, they could always forcefully break through and leave it to fate. However, having to worry about Susu’s safety, they could only endure and keep the tone of their voice in check.

“Very well!” he reluctantly said, “But we only want to rest, no need for any palace maids to serve us.”

Yu Shiji breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Not a problem at all. Everything will be as you wish.”

Kou Zhong lay down on a long padded bench by the window, listening to the rushing water of Yangtze River; his thoughts wandering far away, he said, “Being the emperor really knows how to enjoy life.”

Sitting by his side, Xu Ziling was leaning against the window, gazing at the starry sky of the dreary winter night. “Seeing Yang Guang like that, you still want to be the emperor?” he asked in disbelief.

Kou Zhong sprang up; he came over to Xu Ziling. Half kneeling, he also gazed upon the night sky outside. He said, “Since we have to pass this long night in the Palace, can’t you let me, Kou Zhong, to reveal a little bit of my heartfelt wishes?”

“Don’t lie!” Xu Ziling said guardedly.

Kou Zhong was startled, “When did I lie to you?” he asked.

Xu Ziling sighed and said, “This is at least the second lie. The first lie was ‘I, Zhong Shao, only touched Beautiful Shifu’s slender lily-white hands’.”

Kou Zhong’s thick face blushed; he said, “You must have asked that Poniang this kind of embarrassing question about which part of her Laozi has touched, didn’t you?”

Not yielding a single step, Xu Ziling let out a cold laugh and said, “So you finally admitted that you have lied to me?”

Kou Zhong was peeved, “This kind of passionate love thing, naturally I cannot tell all the gory details to you.”

Xu Ziling said indifferently, “I don’t seem to recall hearing Zhong Shao said that he likes her?”

Kou Zhong let out a bitter laugh, “Just consider me afraid of you!” he admitted, “All right! I was not totally honest, hee hee … I have never been an honest person; at least you, Ling Shao should know it better than anyone.”

Xu Ziling understood that Kou Zhong realized that he [Xu] has seen through his [Kou] heart, and knew that it was time to stop. Going back to the original topic, he asked, “So what kind of heartfelt wishes do you want to reveal to me?”

Kou Zhong roared in laughter as he stood up. Sitting on the arm of the chair, he put his hand on Xu Ziling’s shoulder. His tiger eyes flashed mysteriously, he turned his gaze toward the garden scenery under the night sky outside the window. His voice heavy as he said, “Although I said those things, I do not really want to be an emperor; rather, I only want to join the hard-to-come-by game of power struggle over the world. A game where there is no rule, where the ideas of compassion, duty, propriety and integrity are only lip service, but not being used to govern real action in real life. Anybody with enough power, anybody whose fist is stiff enough, will be able to call himself a king.”

Xu Ziling was silent for half a day, finally he said slowly, “I understand what you mean; since you were young you were always unwilling to be left out, you always need stimulation and challenges, you need other people to respect you, to fawn on you. You are never afraid of anyone …”

“Wrong!” Kou Zhong cut him off, “I fear nothing in Heaven or Earth, but I am scared of you. If you became my enemy, I won’t be able to sleep in peace.”

Xu Ziling said indifferently, “At that time, wouldn’t you try to eliminate me by hook or by crook?”

Kou Zhong laughed so hard that he almost choked; gasping for breath, he said, “First of all, you can’t possibly become my enemy, at most you’ll just ignore me! Even if I, Kou Zhong, can be merciless toward anybody, but I can never be heartless toward you. Good Xiongdi, let’s not indulge in flights of fancy, let’s think about how to get away and go find Su Jie! Looking at that dead fatty’s expression, after our business with Yang Guang is done, I guarantee that by the time we step out of the Palace gate, there will be several hundreds sabers and axes on every side, ready to chop us, two silly bugs, into minced meat sauce.”

Xu Ziling made an eye signal to him, and then he stretched and yawned, “I am dead tired,” he said, “Go to sleep!”

[徐中銳]

With a bitter smile Xu Ziling said, “You are cold as hell, but I am unbearably hot. My five viscera and six bowels feel like on fire.”

Suddenly they both were shaken, as if they came to realization together, and looked at each other with great delight.

Kou Zhong pulled himself together, raised both his palms and said, “You send your true qi from your right palm into the hollow of my palm, and I will send my true qi from my right palm into your body. Ha! This is our original creation on how to heal our injury.”

Without slightest hesitation Xu Ziling quickly raised his palm according to Kou Zhong’s instruction, circulating his power and transferring his qi. At first it was still extremely painful and very difficult. From time to time they still vomited wisps of blood, but soon cold and hot streams were flowing together; round and round the streams cycled inside their bodies, continuously without any break.

They did not know that this kind of blending of cold and hot stream had actually saved these two boys’ little lives.

What happened was that although the two boys unwittingly achieved success in training the qi-circulating technique from one of the diagrams in the ‘Secret to Long Life’, their result actually tended to be too cold or too hot. During the initial phase, this matter did not pose any problem. However, as the qi inside their bodies started to build up, they were approaching the critical stage where ‘too much is as bad as not enough’. If this condition continued, inevitably they would suffer fire deviation. In the ‘too cold’ situation, their meridian would freeze and congeal, and they die. In the ‘too hot’ situation, their yueyong [lit. moon forever] channel would burst and they perish.

Therefore, in critical moment this time the two boys mutually transferring the true qi from his own body to treat the other’s injury, because the source of their true qi was identical, it was tantamount to the two boys separately cultivating their internal energy, hence the two streams of qi merged together; not only it has greatly accelerated the progress of their cultivation, it has also brought up the miraculous result of the ‘Secret to Long Life’, which most people had never even dreamed about.

If it were someone else, even if that person’s talent was better than these two boys’, by the time he reached the last two diagrams, he could forget about obtaining any result without spending eight or ten years.

Deviating from the norm, the two boys have always trained separately, plus they did not understand how to blend the cold and the hot; therefore, contrary to expectation, they achieved the very purest result instead. Now that they blended with one another, it was as if individually they gained two-year worth of maturity.

Up to this point, the two boys’ success was only a small part of the ‘Secret to Long Life’, but now they no longer deviate from the norm...

Susu, it's thanks to her that, while in Xingyang, Xu & Kou's lives have been saved in the long run ?

And, aptly, another from Escher, Day and Night :
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[Jayariyin]

Thanks, foxs.

[Ysabelkid]

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[SkyWalker]

Thanks foxs!

That meeting was indeed a let down. Hopefully there will be more action in the next chapter.

[HPC7595]

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[Laoren]

Thanks foxs.

[徐中銳]

“Ah!” Susu exclaimed; from her bosom she took out a necklace with jade pendant, and solemnly said, “I came here this time, it was actually on behalf of Chuchu, to give this jade pendant to you; she implored me to personally witness you putting it on your neck.”

Kou Zhong was shaken. “Did she leave with your Miss?” he asked.

Susu’s emotion was stirred up with concern again, her elegant eyes turned red; hanging her head, she nodded.

Kou Zhong solemnly took the jade pendant and put it on around his neck, and then he sighed and said, “Why does the love between man and woman cause so much pain?”

Stomping his feet, Xu Ziling said, “You should have asked Old Zhai to leave her behind.”

With a wry smile Kou Zhong said, “At that time I practically did not even think about her. But now I am very sad, just like if I have lost something very precious in my life.”

Xu Ziling asked Susu on his behalf, “Do you know where your Miss is going?”

Susu shook her head...

Of Kou Zhong, recalling Chuchu...

[Anh Nam]

Thanks foxs

[foxs]

Xu Xiong, you are still onto that yin and yang stuff, right? Jaya, Ysabel, HPC, Lao Qianbei, you are welcome. Sky, unfortunately, not yet, but soon ...

---

Book 6 Chapter 4 – Confidential Matter That Is Not A Secret

Kou Zhong slipped out the window and came back. Dejected, he said, “Those two damn b@stard are really cruel, the security is so tight that even a fly can’t escape.”

The place they were staying was located in the garden at the southwest corner of Linjiang Palace, to the west and south of the place were open spaces with nowhere to hide. The walls were high with watchtowers everywhere. To the east was a big garden, to the north was about a dozen big bamboo groves with no passable path. Therefore, the only way out was through the garden.

Xu Ziling came back a step earlier, he also managed to obtain clear picture of the situation. Sighing, he said, “The only way is to charge through the high wall, killing our way out. It’s just that there is a thirty-zhang open space between the small garden to the high wall, I am afraid before we reach the foot of the wall, we’d be shot dead by the rain of arrows from the watchtower guards, or perhaps we’d be cutoff by the opponent’s martial art masters. How’s the situation at the flower garden?”

Kou Zhong smiled wryly and replied, “By looking at my expression, you ought to know the situation without having to ask me; there are hidden guards everywhere in the flower garden, plus it is brightly lit, thinking about escaping without the gods know and the ghosts detect is just lunatic ravings. This must be personally arranged by Dugu Sheng to prevent us from escaping.”

And then, with a wolf-viciousness he said, “If we cannot get away from a place like this, it will really damage our reputation as the Yangzhou Two Dragons. Those two damn b@stard will despise us even more.”

Xu Xiling mused, “Have it ever occurred to you that even if we manage to get out, we still need to crash our way through the city defense, and then once we are inside the city, it’s still unknown whether we will be able to find Su Jie or not.”

Kou Zhong chuckled lightly and said, “Don’t worry! Beautiful Shifu will not dare to deceive me; she has already agreed to leave secret marks all around the city, so that we can easily find their location. This is the benefit of using the ‘by hook or by crook’ method.”

Xu Ziling was dumbstruck and unable to reply.

Kou Zhong continued his analysis, “The security here seems to be incomparably tight, but we can clearly see that the imperial guards are undisciplined and their morale is low, everybody wants to shirk responsibility or even run away from here. Hey! Just think, if we suddenly gone missing, what would the imperial guards guarding us do?”

Xu Ziling’s eyes lit up immediately, “They would think that since Yang Guang ordered Dugu Sheng to keep watch over us, it would mean they are not fulfilling their obligations; it would be strange indeed if Yang Guang did not behead them all. Naturally the entire team will leave their job to join the rank of army deserters.”

Kou Zhong said, “Under normal circumstances, my stratagem might not be useful, but right now their heart is anxious, they have misgivings toward each other, they would not dare to lightly and rashly make indiscriminate action! We still have several sichen until daybreak anyway, we might as well wait for two more d@mn sichen, and then when those guards are cold and tired, we will commence our grand plan.”

The end of yin hour [3-5am], early mao hour [5-7am].

‘Whoo! Whoo!’ With two signals, one after another two shadows flitted out of the courtyard house where Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling stayed, toward the bamboo groves, while several wind lanterns in the vicinity went out at the same time. Followed by chaotic noise of snapping bamboo branches, which alerted the guards.

Among the Imperial Guards Dugu Sheng dispatched to keep watch over the two boys this time, there was no lack of martial art masters. Immediately about a dozen men flew toward the bamboo groves in pursuit of the two boys, yet they did not even see any shadow of ghost.

Nobody in the Imperial Guards was not familiar with Yang Guang’s temperament; they did not dare to ring the bell to sound the alarm, they only split up and searched around. Some even went into the two boys’ quarter to take a quick look; after confirming that nobody was inside, they hurriedly joined the search operation outside.

Half a sichen later, several leaders huddled around in discussion. Someone said, “This is awful; does anybody have any plan?”

Another man said, “If we stay here, we will die for sure; if we flee right now, we still have a little chance of surviving. Please forgive Xiaodi for not keeping you company.”

In reality, everybody had the same thought, so as soon as that man spoke up, a hundred or so Imperial Guards scrambled out in confusion, climbing over the wall and disappeared until nobody remained.

Only then did Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling crawled out from the under the bed. The former laughed and said, “While there is still time, let’s get some of Zhen Sao’s steamed stuffed buns!” [See Book 1 Chapter 1 on Sister-in-law Zhen.]

By the time Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong entering the city via the secret passage, i.e. the water sewer, the sky was starting to brighten. Returning to their former haunts, everything seemed to be familiar, but also seemed to be unusually strange. There was an indescribable inspiration in their heart.

“Last time Yuwen Huaji used hunting dogs to follow our trail, he should find this secret entrance; why didn’t he have his men to block it then?” Kou Zhong wondered.

Xu Ziling was applying his internal energy to dry his drenched clothes, “Perhaps he wanted to keep this secret passage for his own needs!” he blurted out.

Kou Zhong gave him a push and said with a laugh, “Why bother applying your internal energy? Let’s go to Chen’s old clothing store and steal two sets of clothes! Giving that penny-pincher some heartburn is a good thing.”

The two boys laughed heartily, feeling very pleased with themselves; taking advantage before the sky was not quite bright, they leaped onto the roof of a commoner’s house, like an old horse who know the way home, they flew over houses and building, enjoying the cold wind against their face, rushing toward Chen’s old clothing store in the eastern part of the city.

Since they were counting their chickens before they were hatched, unexpectedly it fell through.

When they arrived, they found out that Chen’s old clothing store, as well as about a dozen other stores nearby, had been completely converted into Sui army lodging house.

Kou Zhong heaved a sigh and said, “These troops are like locusts who devoured Yangzhou until it is riddled with gaping wounds and cuts and bruises all over. Ay! Zhen Sao is so pretty, I do hope those thief soldiers did not take a fancy on her.”

Without saying a word, Xu Ziling swept across a side alley toward the marketplace.

Sure enough, Sister-in-law Zhen’s steamed bun stall was gone; on its place was a fruit and vegetable stall. The market was still bustling with noise and excitement, but the people they were bumping into were unfamiliar faces with out-of-the-area accent.

Xu Ziling grabbed the fruit and vegetable stall owner and asked, “Where did that auntie who used to sell steamed buns [orig. baozi – stuffed steamed buns and mantou – plain steamed buns] go?”

The owner let out a bitter sigh and said, “Of course she is gone! Only people with nowhere to go like me would stay here waiting to die. But if my merchandise is robbed clean again, tomorrow I am going to try rushing out the city gate.”

An old man, the over of the next stall said, “Is Sire asking about the Old Feng? Are you their relatives?”

Kou Zhong hastily replied, “We are his nephews.”

The old man shook his head and sighed, “Their steamed buns are too famous. As soon as His Highness arrived in Jiangdu, they were enlisted as cook in the Palace. Afterwards nobody knew what happened to them.”

Xu Ziling clenched his fists, turned around and walked away.

Kou Zhong ran after him; he followed him turning to the left and swerving to the right in the midst of the tide of people in the marketplace. “Where are you going?” he shouted.

“I want to rescue Zhen Sao out of that place,” Xu Ziling indignantly replied.

Kou Zhong grabbed his arm, “Calm down!” he said, “Have you forgotten the moon in the well?”

Xu Ziling was shaken and stopped abruptly. Immediately the people behind them pushed them forward and said, “Don’t block the way.”

The two boys hastily squeezed their way out of the marketplace. Leaving that noisy overcrowded place, their head cleared out somewhat.

Kou Zhong proposed to treat their ailing tummy first.

They went to a nearby restaurant and sat down. After absent-mindedly stuffed several kinds of steamed buns into their stomach, Kou Zhong said, “No matter what you want to do, I will support you, but you must not be hot-headed; first of all, we need to solve the problem of Su Jie, and then we can have a free hand in going all out.”

He sighed and went on, “The Great Sui is really finished, the world has turned into a terrible mess, if nobody took the initiative to unify the world, I don’t know how much more misery the people on the street will have to suffer. One bad Tujue man fight his way into the Central Plains, we, Han people, will fall under the harsh rule of foreign power. Only if you are willing to help me will we be able to rise in building the rivers and mountains [i.e. country] and, as much as possible, do some good things for the innocent people.”

Xu Ziling said, “Your thought seems to be too beautiful and too far for me. Now is not the time to discuss this matter; we slipped away like this, do you think Dugu Sheng will be willing to let us go? It would be best if we could find our Su Jie as soon as possible.”

Kou Zhong grabbed a couple of meat steamed buns, stood up and said, “You are in charge of buying us two new sets of clean clothes, I will go look for secret markings; we will meet again at the eastern end of Duke Ma Alley later.”

Xu Ziling looked at him and said, “Why not go together? If something happened, we can look after each other better.”

“The two of us together is too conspicuous,” Kou Zhong replied, “Plus it would be easier for our old acquaintances to recognize us. Going separately is a bit safer.”

Xu Ziling had no choice but to let him go.

Kou Zhong went strutting down the street; from time to time he came across Sui troops, womenfolk was nearly extinct from the street, only older ones remained. Merely from this fact it was clear why so many people wanted to leave Yangzhou.

In the mind of the people, Sui troops were more frightening than any rebel force.

Suddenly someone called out, “Zhong Shao!”

Kou Zhong jumped in fright. Turning toward the voice, he saw someone hiding in an alley, beckoning him to come.

Kou Zhong hesitated for half a day, but he finally came over. A young, robust-looking man, who was a bit older than he was, with dark skin and sturdy build, who seemed to know one or two stances of martial art, grabbed his shoulders and said, “It is really you! At first I wasn’t sure. Hey! You seem to live well!”

This man was called Gui Xiliang, he used to hang around the same crowd with Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling. When they were younger, they even had several bouts with another gang together, but all ended in defeat. However, the relationship among these several boys could not be considered bad.

Kou Zhong noticed that he was wearing Zhuhua Bang [bamboo flower gang] uniform, there were even three bamboo leaves embroidered on the lapel of his robe. “Since when did you become a Xiangzhu [fragrant master]?” he asked in astonishment, “You did not climb over a lot of other people’s heads, I hope?”

Gui Xiliang replied, “It was entirely due to Bangzhu showing favor to me, by receiving me as his disciple; ay!”

Kou Zhong pulled him toward the other end of the alley, he was puzzled, “It was a good thing, right? Why are you sighing?”

Gui Xiliang said, “Such a big deal, and you did not know? Where have you been hiding these past couple of years? Where is Xiao Ling?”

“Answer my question first,” Kou Zhong said.

Gui Xiliang let out a muted snort and said, “Whatever I say, I am the Xiangzhu, why should I answer your question first?”

Kou Zhong laughed and said, “So you want to be the Laoda [the oldest, i.e. ‘the boss’]? In that case, I’ll let you be you! These past couple of years Xiao Ling and I went mingling in the Jianghu. Du Fuwei, Zhai Rang, and the others have shook hands with us and drank wine together. Ha! Your turn to speak.”

Evidently Gui Xiliang thought he was bragging; clicking his tongue, he said, “You, this little demon, look more thick and solid than I am, it’s a pity just like before, you did not make any progress. Ay! Do you know that two months ago Bangzhu was beaten to death by the men sent by that muddleheaded ruler? It was simply because he refused to hand over Yu Ling from the Tianxian Lou and sent her away instead.”

Kou Zhong raised his thumb and praised, “Good man!”

With a bitter laugh Gui Xiliang said, “A dead good man is d@mn fart useless. Now most of the people in our gang have scattered away, leaving only about a hundred men. We hope that when Du Fuwei, or perhaps Li Zitong come to attack, we can be their contact on the inside so that we can avenge Bangzhu, the Senior.”

Kou Zhong’s eyes lit up; lowering his voice, he asked, “Have you elected new Bangzhu?”

Gui Xiliang sighed and said, “Elect what ghost Bangzhu? Right now we are like a sheet of loose sand, we are only waiting for the muddleheaded ruler’s death, and then we’ll hold an assembly in Danyang, to look at the possibility of electing the new Bangzhu.”

Meanwhile they have reached the end of the alley, ahead was another big street. Gui Xiliang halted his steps and said, “I shall not come out to the light. Do you remember that guy, Xing Rong’s house? I am hiding in there.”

[BocahTuaNakal]

thanks foxs

oot, but did you always posted your translation at this hour? just so you know, i'm very happy to see it the first time i open my laptop in the office today. as i was 30 minute early at work ... keep the great work!

[George Harris]

Man ... this section reminded me of when the Hobbits came back to Hobbiton, and almost as depressing to "see". I really can't wait to see what happens! As always Thanks for the hard work!

[HPC7595]

Thanks foxs