Chapter - 89 Endless Joy At the Reunion of the Seven Swordsmen (15)

Zhang SongXi said, "Escort Leader Yun is a true loyalist of China. All patriotic Chinese wish to get rid of those Mongols, and return China to its rightful owner. Helping in this regards is what people like us should do. No need to say thanks."

Yun He said, "You saved my whole family, and everyone in my escort agency. To think that I had no clue these last five years. I really hope you two can hit me a few times, to lessen my emotional embarrassment."

Zhang SongXi said with a smile, "Don't worry too much about the past. Out of respect for your actions, I'm sure even master would not mind those words you just said." But even so, Yun He still felt uneasy.

Song YuanQiao didn't know what's going on, and simply said a few courteous words. Qi TianBiao and Gong JiuGui also thanked profusely, but Zhang SongXi didn't seem to care much for them. He only had kind words to say for Yun He. The three escort leaders insisted on paying respects to Zhang SanFeng. They each bowed in front of Zhang SanFeng's meditation room. Then insisted to see Muo ShengGu to apologize. After more apologies and words of thanks, the three finally left.

Afterwards, Zhang SongXi said, "Although they feel indebted to us, none of them spoke about the Dragon Gate Escort Agency. Looks like we still can't resolve this issue."

Song YuanQiao was about to ask what's going on, when Zhang CuiShan came out from the back room. He yelled, "Big brother, I missed you so much."

Song YuanQiao is a very mannerly person. So even though he's meeting his long lost brother, and felt exuberant in his head, Song YuanQiao nonetheless simply bowed courteously, and said, "Fifth brother. You've finally come back."

Before Zhang CuiShan could respond, Muo ShengGu asked impatiently, "Fifth brother. Didn't you hear how rude those people are? You really do have a good temper. I would've taught them a lesson." Zhang CuiShan sighed, and said, "It's a long story. After I tell you all, we really should try to seek aneffective solution together."

Yin LiTing said, "Don't worry, fifth brother. The Dragon Gate Escort Agency failed in their duty to escort third brother safely back. Even if fifth brother really did kill them all, it would be because of your love for third brother, and so wouldn't be that…"

Yu LianZhou yelled, "Sixth brother, are kind of nonsense are you speaking? If master hears these words, he'd lock you up for at least a month to repent. How can any of us kill a whole agency, including the elderly and the children?"

The other brothers all looked at Zhang CuiShan. All saw the solemn expression on his face. After a while, Zhang CuiShan said, "I didn't kill anyone in the Dragon Gate Escort Agency. I didn't forget master's teachings."

Song YuanQiao and his fellow brothers all breathed a sigh of relief. They didn't really believe that Zhang CuiShan could do such a thing. But Shaolin was just so adamant about it, even said that they witnessed the whole event. And when the three escort leaders came to question him, Zhang CuiShan did not speak up and claim his innocence. So all the brothers felt some uneasiness. Only when Zhang CuiShan spoke these words did they finally put to rest these nagging thoughts. They all thought, "There must be some problematic details that will make this hard to resolve. But as long as he didn't kill them, everything will eventually be ok."

With this thought, Muo ShengGu asked why those three escort leaders returned. Zhang SongXi said, "Among these three leaders, Yun He's character is the best. Using his fame, Yun He helped organized many people in his region to rise against the Mongol government." The other brothers immediately expressed their admiration for his actions.

Muo ShengGu said, "Never thought he'd some this type of a person. Hold your story until I come back…" As he spoke, Muo ShengGu quickly ran out the room.

Zhang SongXi stopped talking, and they asked Zhang CuiShan about Fire-Ice Island. When Zhang CuiShan spoke about the six months of mostly daylight, six months of mostly night, everyone gasped in astonishment. Zhang CuiShan said, "It's hard to tell the directions on that island. The sun doesn't exactly rise in the east." He then talked about the different strange plants and animals on the island.

Muo ShengGu came back in the midst of his tale, said, "I went to apologize to Escort Leader Yun. Told him I respect him as an upright man." Everyone knew this little brother's straightforward temper, and had long figured that this was his reason for leaving.

Yin LiTing said, "Seventh brother. Fourth brother held off his tale for you. But fifth brother's story about the Fire-Ice Island is even more exciting." Muo ShengGu jumped up and said, "Really?" Zhang SongXi said, "Yun He had prepared everything in detail…" Muo ShengGu shook his hand, said, "Fourth brother. Terribly sorry, but can you hold on a moment…" Zhang CuiShan chuckled, and said, "Seventh brother doesn't want to miss out on anything." So he repeated his tale about the Fire-Ice Island. Afterwards, Muo ShengGu said, "Odd, so odd! Fourth brother, you can speak now."

Zhang SongXi said, "Yun He prepared everything in detail. At the right moment, he'd start the rebellion. But a major participant was a traitor. Three days before the rebellion would start, this traitor took the list of rebel names to the government."

Muo ShengGu yelled, "Oh, no!"

Zhang SongXi said, "There was some coincidence involved. I had a beef with the mayor of his home city Tai Yuan. That night when I entered the mayor's mansion, I saw that traitor and the mayor having a secret discussion. I heard their plan to give this info to the national government, and to put down the rebellion using troops. So I went into their room and killed both people. Then took the list of names and returned to Wu Dang. When they found the list of names missing, Yun He and his cohorts knew how terrible the consequences would be. Not only can they not start the rebellion now, but every person on that list would in grave danger. They wanted to send a message to all people involved, but the city gate was closed for the night already. The next morning, the city gate remained closed due to the mayor's assassination. Yun He and his cohorts were sweating out the situation, as their crime would mean execution of their families, plus the families of their friends on the list. But as the days passed, everything remained fine. Since the police could not capture the assassin, this whole thing eventually passed away. When Yun He found out that the traitor died in the mayor's mansion, he thought that someone helped him. But didn't realize it was me.

Yin LiTing said, "I bet you gave him the list of names in that packet, right?" Zhang SongXi said, "That's correct."

Muo ShengGu said, "What about Gong JiuGui? How did you help him?"

Zhang SongXi said, "Gong JiuGui's kung fu is certainly quite formidable, but his character's not nearly as good as Yun He. Six years ago, he escorted a shipment to the Yun Nan province. At the city of Kun Ming, he took an order of jewelry worth about six hundred thousand taels of silver. Which he needed to escort back to the capital city of Da Du. But he encountered a problem in the Jiang Xi Province. When passing by the city of Po Yang, three of the 'Four Brothers of Po Yang' attacked him, and took his jewelry. Not even Gong JiuGui's entire fortune comes close to the worth of these jewels. Besides, this failed delivery would surely destroy his reputation. After pondering for a while in the inn, he wanted to commit suicide.