Chapter 242: Duan Yu Also Wants to Eat a Substitute

In the Wu Lin, storms were rising and clouds were churning.

The much-hyped Shaolin Conference was about to begin; Gu Qing led the Beggar's Sect, the Star Pavilion disciples, the Ladies of the Lingjiu Palace, and the leaders of the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-Two Islands toward Shaolin Temple. As they passed a tea stall, Gu Qing suddenly called out, "Prince Duan!"

Several people sat at the tea stall; upon hearing Gu Qing's call, they rose at once and saw Gu Qing dressed in dark robes, flanked by a bevy of lovely women. Duan Zhengchun stared, thinking Gu Qing truly had extraordinary luck with women.

Duan Zhengchun had heard of the Piaomiao Peak's Lingjiu Palace, a sect composed entirely of women, now under Gu Qing's command—each woman obeyed him utterly, a sight of great authority. Now, glancing at the women beside Gu Qing, he felt their number surpassed even the emperor's harem.

So luxurious! So incredibly luxurious!

"Master Gu."

Duan Zhengchun greeted Gu Qing; beside him stood Duan Yu, Zhu Danchen, and others, all bowing respectfully to Gu Qing.

Gu Qing's gaze fell on a woman beside Duan Zhengchun—her features delicate, her eyes sparkling. He knew her to be Ruan Xingzhu. After greeting her, he reached into the group of women behind and pulled forward a girl of fourteen or fifteen. "Prince Duan, this is your daughter, Azhu."

"Azhu?"

Ruan Xingzhu hurried forward, scanning the girl from head to toe.

Azhu looked at Gu Qing, then produced her token. She pulled aside part of her clothing to reveal the character "Duan" branded on her shoulder. Ruan Xingzhu and Duan Zhengchun burst into joy, embracing her tightly.

"Ding Chunqiu is a traitor of the Xiaoyao Sect; I have imprisoned him."

Gu Qing explained: "The Star Pavilion is a branch of the Xiaoyao Sect, which I have absorbed. Azhu is from the Star Pavilion."

Upon hearing this, Duan Zhengchun and Ruan Xingzhu felt deep pity for Azhu.

Duan Yu saw he now had another sister and shook his head in silence.

"Master."

Duan Yu said: "I heard Mother spent time with the Beggar's Sect—why hasn't she come?"

Gu Qing shook his head. "Several months ago, while I was handling affairs of the Xiaoyao Sect, they felt the Beggar's Sect was too male-dominated and inconvenient, so they left. Now they reside at the Mantuo Manor in Suzhou."

Duan Zhengchun's heart stirred. His lifelong dream was to have all his lovers live in harmony. Now that he learned Dao Bai Feng could live with Lady Wang and Qin Hongmian, his pulse quickened—he imagined softening them with persistent pleading at Mantuo Manor and enjoying the bliss of multiple wives.

Gu Qing saw Old Duan's expression and smiled faintly. His thoughts drifted to Mantuo Manor, sighing inwardly: The path Wood Wanqing walked was truly hard…

"Heartless father."

Azhu noticed Old Duan's dreamy look and sniffed.

Duan Zhengchun quickly snapped out of it and spoke of Zhu Zhu, promising that once they reached Shaolin Temple, she and Azhu would reunite as sisters.

"Zhu Zhu is with Qiao Feng—she's in grave danger at Shaolin Temple."

Duan Zhengchun said to Gu Qing: "When the time comes, please look out for her, Master Gu."

"No problem."

Gu Qing agreed at once.

Since Xiao Yuanshan and Qiao Feng met, the two had teamed up with Kumogachi to prepare for breaking into Shaolin Temple. Recently, Xiao Yuanshan even captured Ye Erniang and planned to escort her to Shaolin Temple for a confrontation. Many in the Jianghu found this absurd, unable to fathom how Ye Erniang could be linked to Shaolin Temple.

After hearing Gu Qing's assurance, Duan Zhengchun sighed in relief.

"Yu'er."

Gu Qing called Duan Yu over and pointed to a woman. "This is Gao Mei."

Duan Yu turned and saw a petite, slender girl, tall and graceful, her gaze flickering between annoyance and shyness. "Miss Gao…"

Duan Yu greeted her properly, realizing this was the bride arranged by Dali. He knew she had traveled through the Song Empire with her mother, enduring hardship, so he offered two apologetic smiles.

Gao Mei's resentment faded; she gave Duan Yu a light sniff, then smiled.

Everyone has their own destiny.

Seeing her smile, Duan Yu felt a weight lift. Since learning Wang Yuyan was his sister, he had been desolate. Now, seeing Gao Mei's charming sweetness, he bowed his head in resignation.

As Duan Yu lowered his head, he noticed beside Wang Yuyan a girl in black robes, her face veiled—but the visible brows and eyes were strikingly similar to Wang Yuyan's.

"Master."

Duan Yu asked in surprise: "Is she also my sister?"

Gu Qing beckoned; the black-robed girl stepped forward, accompanied by a lovely maid who curtsied gracefully and smiled: "I am Lady Li, Qinglu by name, from Xixia. Wang Yuyan is my cousin."

The lovely maid, Xiao Lei, then introduced her: "This is the Princess of Yinchuan, Xixia." Duan Zhengchun and Duan Yu were stunned. After their shock, Duan Yu stared at the veiled Li Qinglu, at those eyes so like Wang Yuyan's, and suddenly felt a craving for a substitute.

!

If only he could hold this princess in his arms, kiss her eyes…

Duan Yu's heart melted at the thought.

"This Princess of Yinchuan—has she, has she…"

Duan Yu stammered.

The Princess of Yinchuan was certainly not Old Duan's daughter—Old Duan had no way to reach the Xixia imperial palace!

Xiao Lei smiled gently: "The Princess and Dali have some distant kinship."

Duan Yu's heart sank. He silently looked at Old Duan—could it be…?

"The Empress Dowager of Xixia has decreed that the Princess of Yinchuan be betrothed to Master Gu. Now she is sister to Wang Yuyan and Mu Wanqing."

Xiao Lei said with a smile.

Duan Yu's eyes drifted to Gu Qing. In today's Wu Lin, Old Duan controlled many women, and Gu Qing controlled many women too. As Old Duan's son and Gu Qing's disciple, Duan Yu felt he had always lived in the shadows of these two men.

Gu Qing chuckled. Duan Yu was no Yang Guo—he wouldn't get so many substitutes…

Li Qinglu briefly met everyone, saying her face was too tender to unveil, then slipped back into the crowd. Xiao Lei bowed to all and returned to the Princess's side.

Gu Qing watched Duan Yu's forlorn expression and smiled again. Duan Yu didn't know that even Xiao Lei, standing before him, was no longer his destiny.

Jin Yong, perhaps influenced by the 2003 version of Tian Long Ba Bu, changed an unnamed palace maid from the original into an actress named Xiao Lei, then in the revised edition elevated her to become one of Duan Yu's consorts.

"Dong…"

"Dong…"

"Dong…"

From Shaolin Temple came a steady tolling of bells; many monks had gathered, standing ready for Gu Qing's arrival.

Gu Qing nodded to the group. "Let's ascend the mountain together."

(End of Chapter)