Chapter - 530 Great War of Xiangyang (12)

Guo Xiang escaped from death and was helping Fawang up. She was calling, "Master, Master!"

Fawang opened his eyes and said, "Good, good! I have finally managed to convince you…" He coughed up blood and could not finish talking. His blood splattered on Guo Xiang's clothes and she saw pieces of the platform falling down on them. She tried her best to lift Fawang and move him to safety. Yang Guo saw that she could not lift Fawang and helped her to drag him away from the falling debris. Fawang kept coughing up blood and looked at Guo Xiang; he smiled and closed his eyes for the final time. Guo Xiang embraced his body and was devastated, she cried, "Master, Master!"

Yang Guo saw Fawang sacrificing his own life to save Guo Xiang. In doing so, Fawang earned his respect and he bowed to the body.

Huang Rong saw her beloved daughter safe again, she hugged her and tears of joy flowed freely. She was most thankful toward Yang Guo and Fawang. Guo Jing, Huang Yaoshi and Reverend Yideng were also touched by the actions of Fawang and were also very grateful to him.

End Of Excerpts

The Mongol soldiers saw that their commander was dead and they were thrown into great chaos. The five divisions attacked them again and this time they were totally defeated.

Guo Jing waved and shouted, "Let's go back and save Xiangyang, then kill their Khan!" The Song army cheered and turned around and charged towards the Mongol troops attacking the city.

Xiao Longnü tore off some cloth and dressed Yang Guo's wound. Her hands were trembling and she could not speak. Yang Guo smiled, "You suffered more from your worries than I from the fight."

The Song troops gave a thunderous yell and formed up into five divisions again and attacked the Mongol army. Yang Guo saw that the enemy was orderly and unyielding and they outnumbered the Song army many times. Although the Song army attacked them like mighty waves, they still could not move the enemy.

Yang Guo shouted, "The scum of a Khan isn't dead yet and the enemy isn't defeated yet. Let's fight again. Are you tired?" He spoke the last few words gently and softly. Xiao Longnü just smiled and said, "You say go then we'll go."

Then they heard a young girl say, "Sister-in-law, you're ravishing." It was Guo Xiang.

Xiao Longnü turned around and laughed, "Sister thanks you for praying for our reunion. Your brother praised you and dragged me to Xiangyang to meet you."

Guo Xiang sighed, "Only you are worthy of him."

Xiao Longnü took her hand and was very friendly to her. Xiao Longnü was usually cold and indifferent to everyone, but since Yang Guo heaped praise on Guo Xiang and told how she jumped off the cliff to make him promise not to commit suicide, Xiao Longnü treated her differently.

Yang Guo ran past some stray horses and said, "I'll cut a way through. Let's go together!" He hopped onto the horse and rode off. Xiao Longnü and Guo Xiang took a horse each and followed behind. The three of them galloped south and saw several hundred Mongol soldiers setting up the ladders at the south gate and climbing up like ants.

The three of them got onto a small hill and looked around and saw a few thousand Mongol troops surrounding Yelu Qi and his three hundred men. The Mongolians used long spears and chopped down on Yelu Qi's cavalry. Guo Fu led a company and attempted to rescue him but was blocked by two thousand Mongol troops. The couple longed for each other from afar but could not meet. Guo Fu saw that her husband's troops were decreasing rapidly and her heart sank as she knew that once surrounded by a large army, even a highly skilled martial artist could do nothing.

Yang Guo said, "Guo Fu, if you kowtow to me three times I will rescue your husband." Because of Guo Fu's proud, overbearing and obnoxious behavior, she would rather die than kowtow to him and admit his superiority. But now, seeing that her husband was in grave danger, she did not hesitate and immediately got off her horse and fell to her knees, knocking her head on the ground.

Yang Guo was shocked and quickly dragged her up. He regretted saying that and said, "I'm just teasing you, don't mind me. Brother Yelu and I are close friends, how can I ignore his plight?" He jumped from the hill and gathered as many horses as he could and formed them up in two rows. He mounted a horse and held all the reins in one hand, yelling and charging into the enemy's formation.

Yang Guo's two rows of horses followed the "Multiple Horse Formation" originated in the Song army. However the horses were not trained in this and did not move in a straight path and followed Yang Guo only because he held on to the reins tightly. They galloped through the formation and Yang Guo utilized his advanced qing gong (lightness skill) and was jumping back and forth on the horses' backs. The Mongols had never seen such an awesome riding skill before and their lack of reaction allowed Yang Guo to pass through their formation without resistance. Yang Guo grabbed a large banner and fastened it on one of the saddles.

The Mongol soldiers shouted and tried to block him but Yang Guo swept the banner and knocked three officers down from their horses. He saw that Yelu Qi was just a few meters away and shouted, "Brother Yelu, jump up!" He thrust out the banner and Yelu Qi jumped, landing on the banner. He mounted a horse and the two of them broke out of the encirclement together.

Yelu Qi panted and said, "Brother Yang, thanks for saving me, but my subordinates are still trapped and I don't want to desert them." Yang Guo was moved and said, "You go grab a big banner too." Then he set both banners on fire. Yelu Qi said, "Brilliant!" He went forward and snatched a banner and lit it against Yang Guo's banner. They shouted and charged into the enemy lines, waving the flaming banners about.

The two flaming banners flying around struck fear in the enemy troops. All those who went forward to stop them suffered serious burns. The tide was turning and the Mongol troops had no choice but to retreat. Yelu Qi's battalion had only about seventy people left and they all charged together, finally managing to break out of the encirclement. Yelu Qi assembled the remnants of his soldiers and took them up a mountain to rest.

Guo Fu went up to Yang Guo and bowed lowly to him, saying, "Brother Yang, I've caused trouble for you my whole life but you're open-minded and magnanimous. You returned my resentment with benevolence, saving…" Her voice became hoarse and she could not continue. Yang Guo had saved her life several times in the past and knew she owed him a debt of gratitude. But she had always loathed him, thinking that he was always eager to show off his martial arts and did not really intend to save her. Only now, when he saved her husband, she felt truly grateful and realized her past mistakes.

Yang Guo hastily returned the bow and said, "Sister Fu, we grew up together, although we quarreled a lot, we've always been as close as siblings. If you no longer hate me or despise me I will be very happy."

Guo Fu was stunned and the past events flashed past in her mind. She thought, "Do I really hate him? The Wu brothers were always trying to gain my favour but he never bothered about me. If he had treated me better I would have been willing to die for him. Why did I hate him without any reason for so many years? Is it because I always think of him and miss him but he'd never paid any attention to me?"