Chapter 15: Facing the Northern Beggar

Wu Chengyu was gambling — gambling on timing, gambling on human nature.

Wu Chengyu repeatedly pondered ways to save A Ku, and the conclusion he reached was to borrow momentum; relying on himself alone would only be sending himself to his death.

There were only two people who could possibly be found and who could also purge the scum of the Beggar Sect.

Huang Yaoshi was out of the question — he was still immersed in the grief of losing his wife, had an infant Huang Rong to care for, and with his personality he couldn't be bothered with the Beggar Sect's mess, unless Wu Mianfeng had already been killed by the Beggar Sect.

Wu Chengyu was still influenced by Wu Mianfeng's emotions; the thought of returning to Peach Blossom Island to seek aid filled Wu Chengyu with extreme resistance.

Huang Yaoshi could only serve as a back-up plan — a means of retaliation after Wu Chengyu's death.

The second person was Hong Qigong — he was the one Wu Chengyu was gambling on.

According to that Beggar Sect Branch Chief, Hong Qigong would arrive in Gushan County today, but that was mere speculation — whether he would definitely arrive today, or whether he would come at all, was unknown; or perhaps Hong Qigong might suddenly think of some delicious food and turn around and run off somewhere else — that was the kind of thing Hong Qigong would do.

As the leader of a sect of tens of thousands, Hong Qigong was far too capricious, completely unfathomable.

A ten-thousand-person organization, its supreme leader running around everywhere day after day, impossible to even locate, let alone in an era with such backward communication methods — it was simply absurd.

But Wu Chengyu didn't dare wait — if Hong Qigong really did arrive today, gave a cursory look around, found the branch here law-abiding and uneventful, and then turned and left?

He had already been deceived multiple times; this time too it would likely be hard to uncover the filthy affairs of the Gushan Branch.

Moreover, with Hong Qigong's supreme martial skill, if he arrived in Gushan County during the day, he might well vanish without a trace by nightfall.

If he waited one more day, he might miss Hong Qigong entirely — so the only day he could gamble on was today, and it had to be today.

Next he still had to gamble on Hong Qigong's human nature.

Hong Qigong was the true great hero in the Legend of the Condor Heroes story — he hated evil like an enemy, acted with chivalry and righteousness, never deceived even in a dark room, absolutely never did anything contrary to the code of xia, truly upright and aboveboard.

Even the later Northern Hero Guo Jing, aside from his final defense of Xiangyang, fell short of his master Hong Qigong on the two words "chivalry and righteousness" alone.

But this was ultimately just a novel; Wu Chengyu now existed in a real world — he had only been here a little over a month; who knew whether the real world was exactly the same as the novel, whether the Hong Qigong here was truly like the one in the novel — would he cover for his own, conceal the truth, or perhaps simply be a hypocritical fake?

However, this point wasn't a heavy gamble for Wu Chengyu — he still trusted his own judgment; Hong Qigong should be reliable. If the outcome ultimately went against his wishes, he couldn't blame Hong Qigong — only blame himself for trusting too lightly, and let him go down to the nine springs to find Jin Daxia and argue it out properly.

Wu Chengyu's luck was truly good — heaven took pity — Hong Qigong finally showed himself.

To lure Hong Qigong into appearing, he used every method he could — treating guests at Hongyun Restaurant, setting up a porridge shed to distribute congee to beggars, gathering all the people in the vicinity.

Then there were four whole roasted lambs seasoned with cumin, their fragrance spreading in all directions — as long as Hong Qigong appeared within a few li, his gluttony would surely be aroused beyond control.

On top of that, storytelling a segment of the former Beggar Sect Chief Qiao Feng's heroic deeds — Wu Chengyu was certain that as long as Hong Qigong set foot in Gushan County today, he would definitely show himself.

Hong Qigong was indeed drawn by the gathered crowd and the fragrant roasted lamb — at first his attention was entirely on the meat, but when he heard Wu Chengyu speaking of Qiao Feng, his expression became subtle and unfathomable — even a fool would know this storytelling kid had come for the Beggar Sect or for him.

However, at first he didn't intend to show himself — at most he would investigate afterward to see what this kid was scheming. But when Wu Chengyu publicly revealed his identity, the five words "Peach Blossom Island Disciple" came out, Hong Qigong had no choice but to step forward.

As Wu Chengyu bowed to Hong Qigong, Hong Qigong casually swayed a few times, slipped out from the crowded throng, and in the blink of an eye stood before Wu Chengyu, looking him over with great interest, then spoke.

"Huang Laoxie's disciple? Not bad, not bad — better looking than Huang Laoxie, such a young age yet stirring up such a big scene waiting for me to appear, and your eloquence is truly impressive.

So tell me, how do I compare to Chief Qiao?"

Wu Chengyu's heart settled completely at this moment; unhurried and calm, he first had the waiter bring a chair and invited Hong Qigong to sit, then directed people to carve the fourth lamb and brought a lamb leg before Hong Qigong.

"Chief Hong, please enjoy first — this lamb was prepared for Chief Hong.

As for whether you or Chief Qiao Feng is superior, this junior privately believes you fall short of Chief Qiao."

Hong Qigong lowered his head gnawing the lamb leg, didn't even glance at Wu Chengyu, not the slightest reaction.

Wu Chengyu continued: "Chief Qiao loved wine, Chief Hong is gluttonous — both are desires of the palate, ordinary people all have desires, and when the six desires each find their proper measure, that is true nature.

But no matter how much Chief Qiao loved wine, he never drank himself into a stupor unconscious of affairs, and never once delayed a major matter.

Whereas Chief Hong, back then because of gluttony you missed the critical moment, causing a righteous man to die without timely rescue — afterward you deeply regretted it, even cutting off this finger as a warning to yourself, yet sadly you still couldn't change your gluttonous habit.

On this point of self-restraint and self-victory, Chief Hong falls far short of Chief Qiao."

Hong Qigong was finally moved at this — few knew the reason he cut off his own finger, and Qiao Feng's matter was over a hundred years past, involving some scandals of the Beggar Sect that they'd had no time to cover up; even he himself only learned of them after becoming Chief.

"You kid really know a lot — some things even Huang Laoxie doesn't fully understand. Just now when you were storytelling you did cover for my Beggar Sect's face quite a bit.

But at your tender age, where exactly did you learn these old affairs?"

Wu Chengyu ignored his question — he didn't know how to answer anyway; he couldn't very well tell Hong Qigong that a Jin Daxia had broadcast it far and wide, that the Beggar Sect's scandals were known by at least hundreds of millions — he merely showed Hong Qigong a childlike innocent smile, and kept speaking to himself.

"Alas, the Beggar Sect of today has long since lost its former illustrious reputation.

Under Chief Qiao's leadership, the Beggar Sect fought ceaselessly against the Liao and Xia nations, transmitted military intelligence, captured and killed spies — truly achieving service to country and people, the great xia.

Whereas today's Beggar Sect, confined to a corner, though nominally an Orthodox Sect, and Chief Hong wanders everywhere acting chivalrously — under Chief Hong's leadership, how many of the filth, corruption, and crimes hidden within the Beggar Sect can Chief Hong possibly know?"

The eight words "the great xia serves country and people" Wu Chengyu spoke without the slightest guilt — who told Guo Jing to be his future brother-in-law? Marrying his sister had to cost something.

But words having reached this point, the map was exhausted and the dagger revealed — Wu Chengyu forced himself to his feet, bent low toward Hong Qigong, their faces less than a foot apart, Wu Chengyu stared fiercely into Hong Qigong's eyes, struck the wake-up wood, and shouted sternly.

"If the sins committed by the Beggar Sect's scum — how many can be charged to you, Chief Hong? Does the renowned Northern Beggar dare speak the words 'chivalry and righteousness' again, and how will you face yourself?"

Words not yet fully spoken, Hong Qigong immediately understood the true purpose behind the grand spectacle Wu Chengyu had staged today.

"If anyone in my Beggar Sect errs, commits acts contrary to chivalry, you may act — if verified without error, I, Hong Qigong, will absolutely not shield my subordinates, and I also believe Peach Blossom Island disciples would never stoop to baseless framing and false accusation."

Wu Chengyu gave a bitter laugh, stood up, pointing at his own left leg.

"This junior was reckless just now, deceived my senior — I am now a discarded disciple of Peach Blossom Island; the name Wu Mianfeng must never be mentioned again. This junior's true name is Wu Chengyu — a little over a month ago Huang Yaoshi broke my left leg and expelled me from the sect. Today's me, let alone punishing evil, cannot even protect myself."

Wu Chengyu raised his head, gazing at Hong Qigong: "Does Chief Hong know — I have become the prey of your Beggar Sect's Gushan Branch, and even an elder has died tragically, my sworn sister has been abducted by them, her life or death unknown."

Thanks to Miao Sheng, Li Yue Shuang Xue, Gourd Sister, Book Friend 5546, Da Hai Shou, Book Friend 0111, Book Friend 0470, Wo Wei Fan Zhou Ren for the recommendation tickets.

This chapter counts as a small climax.

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(Chapter End)