Chapter 105: The Dragon and Tiger Meet in the Capital (1)

Across from the old Gao Liansheng establishment was a tea shed where Tie Xinyuan and the lame retainer of the Yang family had been sitting for a long time.

Neither spoke, watching quietly as every martial arts candidate entered and exited the establishment. The old, lame retainer wore a grave expression, while Tie Xinyuan appeared somewhat bored.

When a hulking man carrying a bundle and clutching a heavy brass staff approached, the old retainer sighed. "The Iron Lion of Guanxi has arrived. It will be difficult for Dalang to win the championship now."

Tie Xinyuan followed the old man’s gaze, nodded, and wrote the name "Iron Lion of Guanxi" in his notebook. "Is this man very famous?"

The old retainer nodded. "He is a commander in the Western Army, possessing the courage of ten thousand. Last year, our Great Song forces suffered a crushing defeat at Haoshuichuan, losing countless soldiers. He was originally a personal guard under Han Qi, serving under the fierce general Ren Fu. When the formation collapsed, he and Ren Fu were trapped in the enemy lines. Ren Fu was killed in battle, but this man fought his way out, cutting down countless Western Xia warriors with his pair of golden hammers. It is said that when he returned, he was covered in over a dozen wounds and had half a catty of arrowheads pulled from his body. He is a true hero. After that battle, everyone from the commanding generals to the scouts was punished, except for him, who was promoted three ranks for his merit—a rare feat. Just look at the steady, powerful way his arms swing; you can tell that even though he has risen in rank, he hasn't let his martial arts skills lapse."

After listening to the veteran, Tie Xinyuan smiled. "Who is he here to help win the championship?"

The veteran looked at him. "Why don't you ask if he is here to win it himself? With his skills, it wouldn't be difficult."

"He is a commander—a mid-level officer who can already lead troops independently. Is there a need for him to register for the military examinations? Does he prefer being a low-ranking officer to holding a high post?"

The old veteran nodded. "Exactly. In the army, brothers are supposed to share both joys and sorrows. Yet, after that great battle, many brothers were killed or crippled, and even those who survived were stripped of their ranks. Only he was promoted. That isn't right. If he doesn't leave the Western Army, he will likely become a ghost under a blade sooner or later."

Tie Xinyuan frowned as he flipped through his booklet. He pointed to the first name on the first page and sighed. "Gao Tingzan, the youngest son of the Yanzhou Regional Commander Gao Junbao, is also participating."

The veteran nodded. "That confirms it. Gao Junbao certainly has the power to transfer the Iron Lion out of the Western Army and into his own ranks."

The old man glanced at the booklet. "Where did you get this information? This is not something a mere child should possess."

Tie Xinyuan smiled. "I compiled a simple version and sold it for some money. Naturally, there were copycats who wanted to profit. To make more money, they needed more detailed information than mine. I simply aggregated their findings, and now I have an extremely detailed booklet that I can sell again—the most expensive kind."

The old veteran opened his mouth in a silent laugh. "Those who labor with their minds govern others; those who labor with their strength are governed by others. My former commander told me this, though I never understood it. Seeing your actions today, I understand. The imperial military examination is a grand event where heroes from across the land prepare to compete. What a pity that in the hands of clever people like you, it has all become a tool for making money."

Tie Xinyuan smiled noncommittally. "Naturally, there will be a share for you in these profits. Now, you should tell me this Iron Lion's weaknesses. We have many more people to record; we don't have time to grieve for these candidates."

"The Iron Lion's strength lies in his arms. Without immense arm strength, one cannot wield twenty-pound golden hammers. If he is on horseback, he uses the horse's momentum to strike with the force of a thousand jun. He has few rivals. Back then, he used the strength of a fine steed to break through the encirclement. It seems he has no mount today, which suggests he has been faring poorly in the Western Army."

"Will the Gao family not provide him with a warhorse?"

The veteran shook his head. "No. Only by helping the young master of the Gao family win the championship will he have a chance to receive his due rewards. Kid, the status of us fighting men is far lower than you think. As long as the commander drops a hint, men like the Iron Lion will naturally fight to the death for that sliver of an opportunity."

Tie Xinyuan crossed out the Iron Lion's name with a red pen, closed the booklet, and walked into the Gao Liansheng establishment with the melancholy veteran.

The Iron Lion sat alone at a table by the window, devouring a pile of steamed buns and two types of pickled vegetables with a large bowl of thin porridge. His brass staff stood by the window. As Tie Xinyuan reached out to touch it, he accidentally knocked it over. Just as it was about to fall, a large hand caught it and placed it back in its original position.

Tie Xinyuan looked at the Iron Lion, who was still burying his head in his food, and signaled the waiter. Before long, a wooden tray of roasted mutton and a jar of wine were placed before the Iron Lion.

The Iron Lion looked up at the waiter. "I cannot afford such a meal."

The waiter smiled. "The guest is overthinking it. A young master ordered me to bring this, saying that you have served the country with great merit, and this meat and wine are a token of thanks from us common folk for your bloody battles on the border."

The Iron Lion cupped his hands. "Please tell me which young master has shown such kindness to the Iron Lion, so I may thank him in person."

The waiter pointed to Tie Xinyuan and the lame veteran. The Iron Lion saw the veteran raise his bowl in a distant toast. Without ceremony, the Iron Lion picked up the wine the waiter had poured, toasted the two of them, downed the wine in one gulp, and returned to his meal, never looking at them again.

The veteran chuckled. "He doesn't want to get tangled up with you. It seems he is determined to serve the Gao family."

"I meant nothing else," Tie Xinyuan said. "The food and wine were just a thank-you. I didn't expect to buy him. If his integrity were only worth a bit of wine and meat, I would look down on him, and he wouldn't be worth buying anyway."

The veteran nodded. After drinking another bowl of wine, he said, "Dalang cannot beat this man, especially once he is on horseback."

"Gratitude is one thing, but Dalang must win the championship. On that level, the Iron Lion is our enemy. Since he is an enemy, I only hope he doesn't blame us for using any means necessary."

The veteran's expression turned cold. "Is there foul play in the wine and meat?"

"No, not this time. Next time, it is hard to say. From now on, anyone standing in Dalang's way to the championship is our enemy."

The veteran let out a sigh of relief. "If we resorted to such underhanded tactics now, the world would be too dark, and there would be no way for people like us to survive."

"You have already become a retainer for the Yang family; you should have no trouble living out your days in comfort. It is we small fry who have to worry; our lives have only just begun, and they are already so difficult. Forget about us—tell me about Lin Jiaochuan. Can Dalang beat him?"

The veteran sighed. "The Lin family are experts with the horse-lance. Lin Jiaochuan's father, Lin Haiyuan, and I were once on good terms when we guarded Yanmen Pass. Later, after the Old Commander went to the Three Passes, we followed him to Wa Qiao Pass. If Dalang had his current spirit five years ago, I would guarantee that Lin Jiaochuan would be no match for him. But now, even with Dalang's recent rapid progress, his chances of defeating Lin Jiaochuan are fifty-fifty."

"So it's uncertain?"

"Yes, uncertain. If Dalang were not a son of the Yang family, his odds would not even reach forty percent."

Tie Xinyuan nodded and crossed out Lin Jiaochuan's name in his booklet. He, too, was someone who had to be dealt with.

Seeing the booklet filled with red lines, the veteran laughed. "We have seen countless heroes over the past two days. What is this? Do you intend to get rid of everyone Dalang cannot beat? I am very curious—how do you plan to eliminate so many people without being suspected? These heroes are not famous for nothing; every one of them has real skills."

Tie Xinyuan said expressionlessly, "Old man, although you are getting on in years, your skills haven't diminished much. From this moment on, someone will be preparing to ambush you. Please be careful."

A sharp glint appeared in the veteran's eyes. He grinned hideously. "Since you are so confident, I accept your challenge. Let's see what kind of heaven-defying methods a child like you actually has."

Tie Xinyuan gave a bitter smile. "The process might be quite painful."

The veteran pointed to his own crippled leg. "To stay alive back then, I snapped this leg myself. Even so, I walked thirty miles on one leg..."

As the sun began to set, Tie Xinyuan and the veteran settled their tab and walked out of the Gao Liansheng establishment. Ignoring the bustling crowds of strong men in the hall, they whispered jokes to each other, boarded a carriage, and returned to Puluo Alley.

When they arrived at the courtyard, the veteran stood there, not entering his room, just looking at Tie Xinyuan and laughing.

Tie Xinyuan pointed at Xiao Qiao. "He is the one who will be ambushing you."

The veteran looked at Xiao Qiao, who was standing under the eaves with his arms crossed, and laughed loudly. "Kid, you want to ambush me? Go ahead and show me what you've got."

No sooner had he spoken than he felt a sting on his neck, as if bitten by a small insect. His expression changed. He reached up and plucked a short bamboo needle from his neck. He examined it, threw it aside, and said, "Is this all you've got?"