Chapter - 113 Iron Spear, Damaged Plough (8)

Huang Rong kept her upper body completely steady as she glided about the room while lumbering behind her with big steps was Hou Tonghai. She began spinning as she moved, her skirt forming a circle, as she alternated between dodging and attacking trying to use her elbows to knock over Hou Tonghai's wine cup. However he was always able to avoid her attacks.

Liang Ziwong thought to himself, "This girl's gongfu is certainly trained to a high degree, but all things considered, she is still no match for brother Hou. However who wins and who loses is of no concern to me" His main concern was for his treasured medicinal herbs in his storeroom so he immediately thereupon turned and headed out the door to find this thief.

Guo Jing was beginning to lose consciousness as the snake squeezed tighter and tighter. From the smell and the feel of the snake's breath on his face he knew the sake must be getting closer. He knew that once the snake was able to bite him then he would surely be dead. Already the snake's body was brushing against his mouth. He whole body was immobile held fast in the sakes deadly vice like grip, or his left hand, which was desperately trying to hold back the snake and even this was growing weaker. The only thing that he could move was his head and teeth so he opened his mouth and bit hard into the snake's neck.

The snake began to writhe and squeeze even tighter as it felt the pain from Guo Jing's teeth sinking in. Guo Jing felt a gush of snake blood flow into his mouth. It tasted extremely bitter and was hard to bear. He didn't know if it was poisonous or not but he was too afraid to let go and spit it out as he feared he may never get a second chance to latch onto the snake again so he had no option but to swallow it. He also thought that the more blood the snake lost then the more strength it would also lose and it must eventually loosen it's grip so he redoubled his efforts to start sucking out the snakes blood and continue to swallow. After continuing in this manner for a while his stomach was full and the snake gradually began to loosen its grip. Finally, after a few spasms the snake loosened its grip entirely and moved no more.

Guo Jing was by now exhausted and had to lean heavily against the table to remain upright. His first thought was to flee; however both his legs were still numb from the lack of blood flow and so he was forced to wait for his circulation to again reach through all his limbs. After a few minutes he felt his whole body getting hotter as if he was burning up. This made him very worried until after a short while he found that he could move again. However the feeling of extreme heat still continued to course through his whole body. When he pressed the back of his hand against his cheek it felt like it was scalding hot.

The packets of medicine were still safely in his coat. "Now I have the medicine I can help save Wang Daochang. Mu Yi and his daughter, though innocent of any wrong doing, are locked up by Wanyan Kang and are probably certain to be killed. I must help them escape before I leave."

With this he went out of the storeroom and, after looking about for the right direction, headed off to the prison where Mu Yi and his daughter were being help.

When he arrived at the prison he saw a bunch of guards patrolling around keeping a tight watch around the prison. Guo Jing waited a while but found no way to get in the same way they did the first time. So he went around to the back of the building and waited for a patrol of guards to go past. He then leaped lightly onto the roof of the building wall and then quietly into the courtyard within. Leaning against the building wall he listened for any presence of soldiers. When he was sure that the coast was clear he whispered quietly, "Elder Mu, I've come to help you get out of here."

Mu Yi got a shock. "Kind Sir, who are you?" he asked.

Guo Jing replied, "Junior's name is Guo Jing."

Mu Yi vaguely heard the name Guo Jing but after all the events of the past day and even being weak from injuries, when the two words 'Guo Jing' hit his ear drums it was light a thunderclap. With a trembling voice he asked, "What? Guo Jing? Your…your…clan name is Guo?"

Guo Jing replied, "Yes, junior is the one who fought with the young prince earlier today in front of the stage."

Mu Yi asked, "What is your father's name?"

"My late father's name is Xiaotian." When Guo Jing was young he didn't know his fathers name. It was only later when Zhu Cong taught him to read that he was able to learn his father's name.

Mu Yi's eyes began to swell up with tears. He raised his head up and said softly, "Heaven, oh Heaven!" He reached his hands through the bars and tightly held Guo Jings hand.

Guo Jing could feel Mu Yi's hand's trembling and at the same time could feel tears dropping on to his hand. He thought to himself, "(Tr. Implied mild surprise at the depth of emotion shown like a 'Gosh' or 'Gee Wiz' here I think) Elder Mu is very grateful to me that I am coming to rescue them."

He quietly whispered, "I have a sharp knife here which I am going to use to cut away the lock then you both can come out. Just before I heard the young prince talking. I know he is trying to deceive you, please don't trust him!"

Mu Yi however asked, "Your mother, is her clan name Li? Has she passed away or is she still alive?"

"Oh!" Guo Jing asked surprised, "How do you know my mothers clan name? My mother is in Mongolia"

Mu Yi became even more excited upon hearing this. He continued holding Guo Jing's hand.

Guo Jing said, "Let my hand go so that I can break off the lock."

Mu Yi held Guo Jing's hand as if it were the most precious treasure in the world. He was afraid if he let it go he would lose Guo Jing so he continued to hold fast, sighing, "You…you have grown up into such a big man now. Ai! I only have to close my eyes and I can see your father, now long ago departed from this world."

"You knew my father?"

"Your father was my sworn brother. We swore to help our fellow country men." at this point his throat become choked with emotion and he was unable to continue. When Guo Jing heard this, he found his eyes become moist with tears as well.

Mu Yi was in fact Yang Tiexin. During the battle with the government troops he suffered a deep wound from a spear in his back. He managed to cling onto a horse and was carried for several miles before he finally lost consciousness and fell off into a clump of bushes. The next morning when he awoke he crawled to a near by farmers hut where he remained for over a month recovering before he could struggle out of bed with the aid of a walking stick. The village nearby was called Lotus Pond village and was only about 7-8 kilometers (4-5 miles) from his own Ox Village. Luckily the farmer's family was very kind and took care of him as he slowly recovered. However he was worried about his wife and wanted to go back and look for her in Ox Village. Since he was afraid that government troops may still be there searching for him, he waited until midnight to return to his old house and look around.