"I suspected as much. So, what do you plan to do, Tan tai-hiap? I've also heard that you clashed with Jin Kiat, and it was during your ambush that Gak Liu appeared and successfully killed Jin Kiat. Perhaps it's because of this that you've been framed, as Prime Minister Jin Kui now strives to capture Gak Liu".
"I have to investigate Jin Kui's house!" Kok Bu looked shocked. "But that's extremely dangerous! The house is heavily guarded and closely watched!"
"I'm not afraid and can handle the danger."
"But if you enter there and get discovered and chased, how could you potentially carry out your investigation? Ah, I have a plan and I will help you, Tan tai-hiap! I will bring a few friends to create chaos at the front gate, to draw the guards out. In the ensuing panic, you can sneak in through the walls left unguarded. What do you think, tai-hiap?"
Tiong Li's face brightened. "What a great plan! Thank you so much for your help, Brother Gan. But this will trouble you."
"Ah, there's no trouble at all! Aren't we all warriors fighting for the common people's interest? We set off tonight, Tan-taihiap."
So, that night, Tiong Li intentionally wore all black, and Kok Bu brought more than a dozen comrades from Hek-tung Kai-pang without their father's knowledge. Ever since his father condemned Siang Hwi as a disciple of Ban-tok Sian-li and forbade him from associating with the girl, Kok Bu held a grudge against his father.
0o-dw-o0
He searched for traces of Siang Hwi but was unsuccessful, so he returned to the capital. With these comrades, Kok Bu disguised himself and wore ordinary clothes, dissimilar to the attire of Hek-tung Kai-pang members.
At the appointed time, Kok Bu and his comrades started a large fire near the entrance of Jin Kui's residence. Seeing the blazing fire and a dozen people attacking the gatekeepers, the other guards came running to confront the troublemakers.
However, after all the guards had gathered and more than thirty patrol soldiers began to resist, Kok Bu signaled his comrades and immediately fled. None of them were injured because they didn't attack seriously, only causing a disturbance so all the guards would come to the gate.
Meanwhile, with his light and agile movements like a swift bird, Tiong Li used Jouw-sang-hui skill, leaped over the wall that had been left unguarded, and jumped inside the compound. He snuck into the garden unseen, hiding and sneaking behind bushes, or tree trunks growing in the garden. Soon, he was on the roof of Prime Minister Jin Kui's residence.
Over a room where Prime Minister Jin Kui was seated, he crouched and spied from above. He saw Prime Minister Jin Kui guarded by five bodyguards, and soon appeared a person he recognized well, the formidable Si Muka Tengkorak! "What happened outside?" asked Prime Minister Jin Kui to Si Muka Tengkorak.
Tang Boa Lu reported. "There were just a dozen troublemakers causing a commotion at the gate. But after the guards attacked, they fled and vanished into the night. They're just a few cowardly rebels who apparently tried to attack the guards but fled upon resistance."
"Ah, these rebels are intensifying their disruptions. Perhaps they know about the princess."
"Ah, what do they know, tai-jin? Princess Sung Hiang Bwee is now in the hands of Grand General Wu Chu in the Kingdom of Kin, not a soul knows, tai-jin needn't worry."
Then Ciang Sun Hok, Ma Kiu It, and also Kui To Cin-jin appeared.
"Damn it. There are a dozen rebels in the capital and you didn't know about it. This is very dangerous."
"Hmm, how about your duties? Were you able to capture those troublemakers?"
"We have pursued them but they vanished into the night, tai-jin," Ciang Sun Hok reported.
Ma Kiu It, the commander of Jin Kui's guards, quickly said, "Don't worry, tai-jin. Tomorrow morning I will deploy troops to carry out a sweep in the city. I also suspect the Hek-tung Kai-pang beggars."
"What's wrong with them? Haven't the Hek-tung Kai-pang beggars been law-abiding all this time?" asked Jin Kui.
"Indeed, they haven't committed any crimes or violations. But I heard that they all learn martial arts, and rumor has it they have many experts. This is highly dangerous because who knows if they secretly help the rebels!"
"Then conduct a search in their den. If you find sharp weapons, seize them, and if their behavior is suspicious, arrest them!"
"Yes, tai-jin."
Tiong Li had heard enough. First, he learned that the kidnap victim was Sung Hiang Bwee and apparently the princess had been handed over to Grand General Wu Chu of the Kin Kingdom. Who else could be behind such a deed if not Prime Minister Jin Kui? Tiong Li clenched his fists at the thought of how the beautiful princess had been handed over to a general of the Kin people!
And the second piece of news was also very important. Tomorrow morning there will be a raid on Hek-tung Kai-pang, which is now under suspicion! He must inform Kok Bu as soon as possible. With that, he cautiously left the building and entered the garden.
However, now his exit was blocked. All walls were guarded, inside and outside the walls making it impossible for him to leave without being detected. But he didn't care. Using Jouw-sang-hui skill, he jumped over the wall. The guards saw and pursued him, but the two closest guards fell as soon as Tiong Li moved his feet. And before the other guards could attack him, he had darted off and vanished into the darkness of the night.
Naturally, the guards were alarmed and promptly reported to Prime Minister Jin Kui. Prime Minister Jin Kui turned pale upon hearing the report that someone had just exited from within the compound wall of his house.
That meant there was someone lurking in his house earlier! Yet Ciang Sun Hok, Ma Kiu It, Kui To Cin-jin and even Tang Boa Lu were present, and they all had no idea. This only proved how cunning the person who infiltrated earlier was. And perhaps that person had overheard the conversation between him and his subordinates.
"Damn it! Pursue, find and capture him!" he yelled at his subordinates.
The four of them immediately started chasing, but of course, they just roamed aimlessly in the darkness of the night without finding anyone!
Tiong Li, dressed in black, returned to the empty building where Gan Kok Bu was waiting for him. "What's the result, tai-hiap?"
"I heard some very important news," said Tiong Li. "Turns out, Princess Sung Hiang Bwee was kidnapped to be handed over to Grand General Wu Chu of the Kingdom of Kin, and she's now there!" "Damn it! The emperor's daughter handed over to the Kin General? Jin Kui is indeed a rotten traitor!"
"There's even more important news for you guys," said Tiong Li. "Early tomorrow morning, Jin Kui's guard commander will conduct a sweep of Hek-Tung Kai-pang."
"Ah, for what reason?" exclaimed Kok Bu, very surprised. "Apparently Hek-tung Kai-pang is starting to be suspicious because its members are learning martial arts. Tomorrow there will be a search in the Hek-tung Kai-pang den. If sharp weapons are found they will be seized, and if your behavior is suspicious, arrests will be made!"
"Thank you, Tan-tai hiap. This news is indeed very important to us. Well, goodbye. Right now, I need to inform my father and comrades so they can prepare for the inspection tomorrow morning."
Kok Bu left Tiong Li who resumed his disguise as a beggar and left the capital that very night. Fortunately for him, suspicion towards the beggars had not reached the gate guards, so he easily slipped out the city gate without much hindrance.
-o0dw0o-
The Ce ng-lio ng-pang organization headquartered in the Ceng-lio ng-san mountains is a group of tenacious fighters. Their leader, Gui Kong Sek, is a true patriot. Although he's over fifty, he remains a fervent fighter, leading his two hundred subordinates to resist and oppose the Kin invaders. Because of its location on the border between the Sung and Kin Kingdoms, situated in a vast lawless area, it's easy for the Ceng- liong-pang fighters to harass the Kin troops.
Glossary
- Tan tai-hiap: An honorific used in the story, referring to a character named Tiong Li.
- Jin Kiat: A character in the novel. He is killed by Gak Liu.
- Gak Liu: A character in the novel, known for killing Jin Kiat.
- Jin Kui: The Prime Minister and antagonist in the novel.
- Kok Bu: A character in the novel who is allied with Tiong Li.
- Jouw-sang-hui: A martial arts technique used by Tiong Li for light and agile movements.
- Si Muka Tengkorak: A formidable character in the novel, translates to "Skull Face".
- Tang Boa Lu: A character in the novel, associated with Jin Kui.
- Ciang Sun Hok, Ma Kiu It, Kui To Cin-jin: Characters and subordinates of Jin Kui.
- Sung Hiang Bwee: A kidnapped princess in the novel.
- Wu Chu: The Grand General of the Kingdom of Kin.
- Hek-tung Kai-pang: A group of suspicious beggars in the novel.
- Gui Kong Sek: The leader of the Ce ng-lio ng-pang organization.
- Ce ng-lio ng-pang: An organization in the novel, known for resisting the Kin invaders.
- Ceng-lio ng-san: The mountains that serve as the headquarters for the Ce ng-lio ng-pang organization.