Chapter 16: The Tale of Shi Jin- Gu Dasao
Lord Chai's Estate
Cangzhou, Third Age 1934
The first visitor walked in wearing full lamellar armor, with a topknot covered by a fish-fin hat and the rest of the hair flowing down the back of her head like a black waterfall. Her ruddy face bore many scars, but her eyes still shone with a vigor untouched by time. She appeared larger than her actual stature, and the armor was not loose around her body. Across her back was an iron spear and at her side was a meteor hammer, two heavy metal weights connected by a chain.
"Little King!" exclaimed the first visitor, arms outstretched with a smile, "how many years has it been?"
"Too long, Tingyu, my old friend. Come here!" Wang Jin responded, walking over and wrapping her in a tight hug. An unusual sight to see her hug anyone given how Shi Jin saw her treat everyone else besides her mother and Lord Chai. He also noted some of the villagers behind them barely concealing knowing smiles and smirks.
Her name was Luan Tingyu, nicknamed the "Invincible Iron Staff," whose martial prowess was such that even an army of 10,000 could not defeat her, at least claimed Wang Jin to Shi Jin when they discussed who was visiting. The only childhood friend Wang Jin had that was still alive and a witness to her slaying of the troll. The dreaded incident was supposed to be a regular mining mission in a cave led by two groups: one led by his master and the other led by Luan Tingyu. It was Wang's group that had been waylaid by the troll and by the time Luan mounted a rescue, Wang's group had all been slain save for the leader herself.
"She never saw a truer javelin throw," Wang Jin remarked proudly to Shi Jin at the time. When Wang Jin's mother moved to the capital, it was Luan Tingyu that became the new arms instructor for their village. Then sometime later, upon Wang Jin's personal recommendation, Instructor Luan was reassigned to the frontier.
Shi Jin wondered why neither his master nor Wang Sheng ever mentioned her before they arrived in Cangzhou.
Remembering that he was supposed to be chopping wood, he did his best to overhear the conversation between two old friends while making sure there was enough firewood for the feasts in the next few days.
"You're stronger! Been eating well in the capital, huh, Head Arms Instructor of Dongjing's 80,000?" commented Luan Tingyu.
"Former instructor," Wang Jin replied, "and you filled out nicely too, frontier instructor of... which village again?"
"Zhu Family Village. The cows and kine are plentiful, enough fertile land for livestock and farms. If things were different, I'd invite you there, introduce you to my students and such. We could always use more capable people. The curds and whey are tastier, too."
"What do you mean, Tingyu?" Wang Jin asked, "not the curds and whey, but why would you not invite me?"
There were a few whisperings as Shi Jinpeeked over at the now hushed conversation they had. Luan held out a torn poster that had a drawing of a woman with a bunch of written characters on top and at the bottom. He had no idea what it meant, but if he could guess, was it a 'Wanted' poster? No... it could not be! His master was not a criminal! Or it surely was a cover-up job, some foul thing seeking to falsely accuse her of a misdeed. The knave, whoever did this! Was this what caused the rapid change in her mood? Something happened to her that caused the change in temper... perhaps they accused her of murdering a close friend or something. In fact, it could be this false accusation. Perhaps he could find a way to subtly figure out the piece of dirt that besmirched Wang Jin and hunt them down for her. That would probably improve her mood! Shi Jin was reaching his limit of being treated like garbage, after all.
Regardless, that did answer the question as to why Shi Jin never noticed Wang Jin leave the manor, as she would be arrested far easier.
Whatever private conversation the pair of them had, his master seemed to assuage Luan Tingyu, who sighed, replying, "I always told you so, sister! Ever since our village days! You can't just beat up anyone without it coming to bite you later. Especially when... you know,"
"Yeah yeah, would've been nice if you were there and reminded me of that when I visited the village with my apprentices," Wang Jin replied, "speaking of that, there is a crowd of people waiting behind you, sister. Let's see who actually came to visit my Ma."
Then Luan introduced quite a few people who visited. Unfortunately, Shi Jin forgot who most of them were. Of the ones he did remember, there were a pair of brothers with the family name of "Sun," one much paler than the other. The elder Sun carried both a steel club and spear and Wang Jin treated him with respect as well. The younger Sun, in contrast, did not look Wang Jin in the eye. Did they have a history?
Then came two people dressed in tiger pelts with the tail still attached, to Shi Jin's amazement. They were brothers with the family name of "Xie" and they hunted tigers, a profession that impressed Shi Jin! Each bore a bronze forked spear and the only distinction between the pair was that one appeared older and had a purplish face compared to the other, who had a dark face. They both seemed to respect Wang Jin.
While there were other villagers that came and introduced themselves, Shi Jin focused on chopping more wood, especially after the Xies walked over, playing with Shi Jin's hat and pulling out stray hay from his tunic. He wanted to bat them away, but that could have blown his cover.
"Xie Zhen, Xie Bao, stop bothering Lord Chai's attendant!" yelled Luan Tingyu, who walked over and personally apologized to Shi Jin.
"... no issue here!" Shi Jin replied gruffly, averting his eyes from hers and placing yet another large log on top of the chopping block.
"Hmm," she said, looking closer at his face, "you remind me of someone. But who?"
Thankfully the voice of Wang Jin rescued him, "Tingyu! Is that all who is visiting?"
"Well, there is one more but..." Luan Tingyu replied, turning away from Shi Jin and walking towards his master.
Wang Jin had her arms over her chest, "I can fight my own battles."
"I know; I've seen and you proved it to me too," Luan said, sounding more serious, "you really want to talk with that one?"
"I want to get it over with and forget that person existed," Wang Jin curtly responded.
The younger Sun then piped in, "ya talkin' about my wife? Don't talk about my wife that way, ya mean egg! They have a name!"
"Do I care about their name, Sun Xin?" Wang Jin retorted, "who told you to talk? You want me to kick your ass again like I did your wife?"
"You got your ass kicked more that day, ya fodder bag! My wife is ten times better than you!" Sun Xin barked back.
The elder Sun placed an arm on his brother's shoulder, "brother..." he warned.
"That obese cicada? Certainly, ten times better than you, Little Sun."
The elder Sun stepped in front of his clearly infuriated brother, his voice clear, "Instructor Wang, you dare slander my brother? You do realize that I am supposed to report your whereabouts to the government? Cut your crap or else you'll be arrested the moment you step off this estate."
So that confirmed it then! Wang Jin was falsely implicated by the Empire! What did his master do?
"They are kin, and we love them dearly," added the Xie brothers in unison, "we know tigers. They are one; you are not."
Wang Jin was silent, and because she had her back to Shi Jin, he knew not how she felt at the responses. He tightened his grip on his ax, part of him wondering when he would need to intervene. Before his master could respond, Luan Tingyu swooped in with a smile that did not reach her eyes.
"Well... as Officer Sun said, you are a wanted criminal," pointed out Luan, "and it's been what? 12 years? Can we not simply leave the past behind?"
Wang Jin turned her head, muttering something in response.
"Yes, I remember that day too. But I can't take your side on everything. Though, there is something..." then Luan Tingyu whispered something to Wang Jin, who sighed and nodded.
"You have changed, I thought you would be more excited to finish our legendary duel," remarked Luan Tingyu, "we should probably talk in private. There's something you're not telling me..."
And with that, Lord Chai suddenly appeared, saying, "aah are reunions not just wonderful?"
Shi Jin wondered if he was being sarcastic.
"Where is that person, Lord Chai?" Wang Jin asked, "I'd like for that cicada and myself to have our greeting, be seated far away from each other at mealtime, and prefer to forget that person exists like I've had for the past dozen years."
"Ya mannerless cur!" shouted Sun Xin, "speak ill of my wife again and I'll..."
Lord Chai raised his hand at the younger Sun, who hesitatingly stopped talking, "your wife wants to have a private talk with Instructor Wang."
He then turned and gave a plain look at Wang Jin, "I trust there will be no incidents? You will have to pay for any damages to my estate for unarranged fights."
"And arranged ones? Instructor Luan wishes to determine who is better with staves, me or her," Wang Jin asked, though not with an excited tone. Shi Jin himself was intrigued, stopping momentarily his woodcutting to hear the response.
Lord Chai smiled, "that will be in the courtyard. It will be a celebrated event and I shall invite a few of my personal friends to watch this bout. The dwarves have been wanting some entertainment out of Cangzhou ever since the Grand Marshal purged our football club. No doubt they'll be... speculating on who will win. It will be fairly lucrative."
The villagers did not speak as a whole, but many gave a look over at Luan Tingyu.
The frontier arms instructor gave a cheeky grin at Wang Jin, "looks like money will be involved in this, old friend. To the winner go the spoils then?"
Shi Jin liked to imagine that his master gave a predatory grin, as Wang Jin's next words were: "you won't get a single roll of coins out of this. Prepare yourself, old friend. No weather will stop me from kicking your ass this time."
"That's the Little King I knew," she replied, and suddenly Luan bared her teeth, her face morphing into a smirk that oddly matched the scars on her face, "can't get bested by a capital arms instructor now."
Clapping his hands, Lord Chai chuckled, announcing, "then it is settled then! The duel shall occur tomorrow when the sun is at its apex. Now Instructor Luan and the others, I shall escort you to visit your old arms instructor."
He then frowned, adding, "steel yourselves. Wang Sheng is not who they once were."
Mutterings came from the villagers as Luan Tingyu looked worriedly at Wang Jin, who could not look her old friend in the eye, turning her head away.
"Master will not witness their two top students' duel?" Luan Tingyu asked.
"Ma no longer is interested in such things," Wang Jin.
Luan Tingyu's frown deepened, "then things are direr than I thought. We must visit her at once! Lord Chai, please lead the way."
"After you," Lord Chai said. As the group of villagers went inside, Lord Chai gave a meaningful stare at Shi Jin before the elf went and led the villagers to Wang Jin's mother.
His master looked at the inner building for a few seconds before she glanced with annoyance at him.
"Chop wood, idiot!" she hissed.
"Oh," replied Shi Jin. No sooner had he placed the next log on the chopping block, however, than he heard a slight sound of metal clanking on near the gate.
Wang Jin turned in one pivot, fists clenched, facing the gate, "I hear your crap ornaments jingling around. Come into the estate and greet me, you obese cicada! Then go visit my Ma and get out of my life!"
"I have a name, Wang Jin. But you never cared, did you?" spoke a clear voice, as the last villager entered Lord Chai's estate, walking and stopping a few feet away from his master. Looking briefly at Shi Jin, Shi Jin got a good look at the visitor's appearance.
The villager's eyes were big, and her brows were thick. Her hair was not in a standard military topknot, but a large part of it was bound near the top back of her head like a thick horse tail whose tip only reached to the top of her head's left side. Her face was plump, but not as plump as Shi Jin thought. Her waist was big, but a different kind of "big" than Shi Jin imagined originally from his master's description of her. The villager's waist was a sign of bodybuilding, the size of her legs reinforcing that idea, and not due to overeating. Needless to say, she did not look obese at all, and part of him wondered why Wang Jin kept on calling her something she was clearly not. Furthermore, she did not wear any ornaments, though perhaps they were stowed away before entering the estate.
But he knew they had a history, one that he first learned in Shi Family Village weeks ago when Wang Jin, during their dinner feast, told them of a fight with someone who continuously broke their guard. For this was none other than...
"Gu Dasao (顧大嫂) is my name," she said, but not with the customary respectful bow, as her eyes stared straight into Wang Jin's own.
"You think I give a crap?" replied Wang Jin, who probably glared at her in return.
An uncomfortable silence settled between the two as naught but the sounds of birds flying away from their roosts towards the direction of Lord Chai's inner estate were heard. Shi Jin felt tense, his eyes now looking at the chopping block to try and give no hint that he was eavesdropping on a potential storm that he was supposed to stop. Yet he needed to keep on looking back at the two to keep track of any sudden movements from either of them.
Then Gu Dasao audibly sighed, taking a step forward, causing Wang Jin's legs to slightly shift more into a combat stance.
"Can you relax?" she asked, "we're both grown women. I came here to visit your mother; I already proved myself to you. You can't still be upset that I knocked you into the infirmary."
"I have a long memory and I don't believe you," quipped Wang Jin, "why do I think you've come for a fight? You're not wearing any of your wrist or hair ornaments. You probably put them away before you entered here. Wouldn't want to ruin them again, would you?"
"... it was you who stomped on them after our fight... you vindictive cow! Those were hand-crafted by my future husband."
"Bugs are attracted to pieces of crap, aren't they? Couldn't seduce the elder one so you had to settle for the younger one?"
"You!" Gu yelled, taking a step closer, her face infuriated, "always were... and still are, an entitled piece of shit bully! Why did you want everybody to be like you? Why couldn't you be like your mother and let us be ourselves?"
"The young men saw us as beneath them. I provided a way for us to prove ourselves to them. You certainly di-"
"You couldn't just be like your mother or Luan Tingyu and talk to the men?" interrupted Gu, "not all our villagers were capable of fighting. Have you ever thought about those who were born without our physical or mental abilities? This included quite a few men."
"Talk is cheap! And if we had enough fighters, they could guard those who couldn't fight," retorted Wang Jin, "and if you interrupt me again, I'll-"
"You'll do what?" Gu Dasao asked calmly.
To Shi Jin's surprise, his master stammered noises but made no comprehensible reply. Something, however, led to Gu Dasao suddenly smirking.
"Was that a grimace?" Gu asked, "oh... oh, very embarrassing. I remember now. You're cramping! Must be really painful this month. Huhuhu, how unlucky for you we visited during your unfortunate week. I mean, such a week is an annoyance to me, but to you-"
"Just shut your moaning, you annoying ass cicada!" Wang Jin contemptuously replied, "I trained soldiers for the past ten years, gained more strength, and honed my technique. You think I can't kick all your teeth in? What have you been doing this past decade other than sleeping with your husband?"
The insinuation made by Wang Jin made Gu Dasao's smirk turn into a furious expression.
"Wang Jin... you scumbag! I run a tavern and have fought countless rowdy ruffians. I've beaten 30 people at once! I'm not an artist like you; I'm a fighter, not some lay-about trollop! And let's talk about yourself, you goose-feathered duck! Do you realize that nobody liked you back home? Nobody except your parents and Luan Tingyu? Do you know how many people got hurt, disabled, or killed trying to be like you in our village? I was one of those, except I lived and wanted a little attention from y-"
"Ha. Ha. Oh, screw you," Wang Jin replied, spitting at the ground next to her, "is that why you call yourself 'Dasao'? Elder Sister-in-Law? The Big Bug that wanted to be like me, who stood up to Wang the Bully and got her arm wrenched out her socket?"
"The Tiger that knocked you into the infirmary for a week! You wouldn't show your face to anyone else soon afterward."
"But that didn't impress Sun Liall that much, did it? Settling for mediocre Sun Xin, the human pile of crap."
"Grass mud horse! Insult my husband again..." Gu Dasao then immediately went into an attack stance, one foot in front of the other, most of the weight placed on the back foot, one fist chambered to the side, and the other fist in front of her. Wang Jin mirrored the stance, though Shi Jin could not see what shape her hands made. If he was a layperson, he would have intervened and tried to stop the pair from attacking one another. But there was one major indicator that neither was going to attack first:
They were both stationary. Shi Jin learned from his spars with his master that Instructor Wang's body never stood still when she was going to attack. But with his master's cramping, he wondered if such a stance was exacerbating the pain and whether it showed on her face. He assumed Gu Dasao could see any such sign of weakness.
But the villager sighed, took a step back, exited out of her fighting stance, and slowed her words.
"I promised your mother I wouldn't physically attack you again, because I respect your mother just as much as I hate you. She taught us all, you know?"
"Why... do you hate me?" asked Wang Jin, herself relaxing a little and slowing her words, "the more that I think about our fight years ago... That bowl you shattered on the back of my head... you were trying to kill me, weren't you?"
That was part of the fight that soured Shi Jin on Gu when he first heard it. Only a dishonorable cow would attack someone from behind like that when they were led to believe their fight would occur somewhere else. Shi Jin's hands tightened on his ax just thinking about it. But he was definitely not going to attack. In fact, now that the two seemed to relax their combat stances, it could only be a matter of time before Lord Chai or any of the other villagers would return to inquire about Gu Dasao's location. Then Shi Jin would have no need to wear this ridiculous scratchy outfit anymore.
"... I would have punched your throat instead of your face if I wanted to kill you," Gu Dasao retorted, "I hate you because you're a selfish prick."
Oh great, thought Shi Jin.
Wang Jin cut her off, "I did what I had to do for the Emp-"
"You did it because you wanted to be the only hero of the Empire!" Gu shouted, her voice rising again, "you wanted everybody to be you. Every man, every woman, every elder, every child, to be you."
"So you're fine wanting me being just like Ma but not-"
Gu Dasao's eyes narrowed in sadness, "as I said, your mother wanted all of us to be heroes in our own way. If you were like your mother in that way, we would have loved you. You would've had one more person guard your back. I would have escorted you personally to Dongjing to become their instructor. Open a tavern in Dongjing and have you as a beloved customer. Who knows?"
Then her eyes sharpened like daggers, "but you weren't like Wang Sheng! It was your way or you'd beat us into becoming Wang Jin! Calling me a giant bug was just the excuse I needed to beat the living crap out of you! We celebrated you leaving our village, and I bet that long trip to the capital was rather lonely, huh?"
"... so you didn't have the guts to say any of this to me at the time, huh?" Wang Jin replied, her voice rising in anger, "I... cared... for all of you! I. Wanted. All of you to live. You do not know how much I sacrificed to keep all of you safe. To make sure all of you were strong. To ensure people like you and Sun Xin could even have the opportunity to be together and run a tavern."
Gu Dasao gave a smile that did not reach her dagger-eyes, placing her hand against her mouth, her tone reaching a higher register, "aww, isn't that sweet. You cared for all of us. Didn't want us to trip and die. You sacrificed yourself to keep us safe. You spoon-fed us mystery meat soup, milk curds, and whey. You are responsible for my marriage. You're the one who negotiated the land acquisition and tavern business permits."
Then her tone reached a lower register, "you conceited git. I've had years to think about what to say to you, and now... finally you know."
Wang Jin tensed, returning to her fighting stance... though Shi Jin noticed something was off with it. His master's legs were usually more outstretched than this.
"That stance is taking a toll on you," Gu commented, her voice returning to its normal register, "I still will not physically attack you, that is if you don't attack me. So, I don't know why you can't just relax. I will not speak more of our villager's opinions on you... surely you have not forgotten what caused you and Tingyu to duel all those years ago; everybody thought one of you would kill the other. To think that after all this time-"
"Tingyu is ten times the person you are."
Gu smiled at this, but continued, "we actually agree on something. But, let's talk more about you. I heard you visited with three young women, your apprentices in fact, to our village a few years ago. Pity we did not meet then, it would have been nice to test their ability. As I said before, I was and still am running a tavern away from our home."
"... I would have demonstrated 150 ways to kick someone's ass if we had met. You would not have harmed one hair of their heads! Be glad about that," Wang Jin countered.
Gu Dasao spat to the side, retorting, "that I doubt. Were your apprentices not all city folk? Coddled and spoiled with food and drink that we rural villagers produced? I even heard you lot almost died on the way back to the capital. And not due to a troll but due to a tavern owner, no less!"
"How do you know that? You're related to that prostitute or their husband?"
"That owner is not a prostitute!" Gu clarified with emphasis, narrowing her eyes and glaring at Wang Jin, "I will not say their name because I do not want you to meet them again. A distant relation of my husband's. That one's choice of everyday clothing matters not! What does matter is..."
"You associate with cannibals?"
That was shocking news to Shi Jin. Aside from the horrible act of even imagining eating someone, cannibalism was illegal and was a sign of followers of the Dark, people shunned by the Empire.
"Family is family," said Gu Dasao dismissively, "they do not eat the unfortunate and poor, but the corrupt and evil."
"They drug anyone and eat them," hissed Wang Jin, "they drugged my students and almost beat me to death! You can hate me, but do you really want me to die?"
For a moment Gu Dasao was silent, a look of sadness and guilt momentarily spreading across her features. This utterly confused Shi Jin. Gu had been verbally fighting his master ever since the beginning of the conversation; they both used such hate-filled venom against each other. Their past included a grudge brawl that ended with serious injuries, and a dozen years had not even dented the animosity between the pair. How could one not want the other to die?
Then the moment passed, and Gu's features hardened, "you didn't even introduce yourselves to them. They would not have tried to kill you had you done so."
"The prostitute seemed even more eager to fight me once I revealed myself, I don't believe that at all."
Gu Dasao shook her head in exasperation, "once again. Not a prostitute. Clean out your ears."
"Maybe it'll be cleaner if you shut your mouth! I tire of this banter and I'm wondering why you're even bringing up my old apprentices," continued Wang Jin, "they are their own people now, each one of them mighty warriors who have not changed their name to Wang Jin, to your disappointment probably. I am not the same woman you thought you knew."
Gu Dasao's glare slowly turned into a triumphant smirk as she suddenly looked at Shi Jin, "because one of your apprentices has been overhearing our conversation this whole time."
Shi Jin froze, realizing that his cover had been blown.
"That one is just one of Lord Chai's attendants, here to make sure we don't break one of his precious water clock towers if we communicate with our hands and feet," Wang Jin smoothly responded.
Relieved, Shi Jin then played along, splitting a log on the cutting board into two.
"Hahaha," Gu Dasao mockingly laughed, "You might fool others, but you cannot fool me. So cute, trying to deceive a businessperson. You have some gall, Wang Jin! That 'attendant' has only split wood once during our entire conversation! They are either your student or your sex slave.
"Even if what you say were true, Lord Chai will now know more about the piece of crap you really are. But if that lumberjack is your apprentice or lover, oh, I may have harmed you more in their eyes in quite a few ways. Wait 'til I-"
"Shi Jin is not a sex slave nor a lover!" Shi Jin announced, unable to contain himself, dropping his ax and walking in front of Wang Jin, "I am Shi Jin (史進)of Shi Family Village, and I would rather fornicate with a cow. you loudmouth trollop! I am an apprentice of the great Wang Jin and I..."
Gu Dasao's uproarious laughter stunned him into silence, as he realized that maybe yelling that a cow was more desirable than his master was not the wisest thing to say. A bunch of large black birds suddenly began flying towards the inner estate. He felt a tight grip on his shoulder, momentarily seeing her master with gritted teeth glare at him, as she stepped in front of Shi Jin, even closer to Gu.
"Aah hahaha. Your standards have dropped, Instructor Wang! Do you just pick up any idiot with skill now?"
"Not as low as yours," Wang Jin countered, "I wonder, when you sleep with Sun Xin, how many flies and maggots do you attract in your bedroom?"
The mirth soon evaporated from Gu Dasao's face, and her expression darkened, both eyes and mouth twitching in fury. His master once again entered into a battle position, but the legs were not spread far apart at all. Was she truly in that much discomfort?
"Is that all? Insulting my marriage again? Fine, we'll play that game," she responded with a low voice, "although you always said that you prefer elves..."
"Not. Another. Word," warned Wang Jin.
"Very well. Unlike you, I won't press further on your romantic life," she retorted, sighing, "I grow tired of us talking too. There's another subject I want to talk about in private, about your... (whisper)"
Whatever the villager whispered about, Wang Jin gave a slow nod and loudly said (without turning her head), "Shi Jin! Step away from the both of us. We're having a private conversation now."
"But..." objected Shi Jin.
"You're really going to disobey your master? We're going to have a girls' only talk," piped in Gu Dasao.
"You tavern wench! I don't trust you with my master!"
It was then that Wang Jin fully turned around, facing her student, with a weary look in her eyes, as she requested, "student... please."
He stood still for a second, then bowed and walked backward until he could no longer hear the two of them. The main reason why he assented wasn't due to the pleading of his master, but that Wang Jin turned her back on Gu Dasao.
One did not turn their back on a tiger.
Thus, Gu had some modicum of honor in her bones, and this was not some ruse to attack Wang Jin.
For a while, it was indeed a private conversation. Shi Jin still looked on, but he did not see any anger on Gu's face, but rather something akin to pity. What were they talking about?
But then Gu's face turned quizzical, and she probably asked a question. The response did not ease the expression at all, instead, her eyes suddenly became sharper. More discussion happened, and now Gu looked absolutely livid.
Wait, this was bad. Shi Jin immediately walked towards the pair, sensing something was amiss, but he was too late to prevent Wang Jin's fist from suddenly striking Gu Dasao square in the face.
"Guh! You!" Gu Dasao cried as she stumbled backward, though she was quick to regain her footing, wincing at the follow-up duck kick to the abdomen but ducking the simultaneous jab to her face at the last second. She ran backward giving a cold concentrated look at her attacker. They were still within the estate, and she forced Wang Jin to catch up to her in order to continue the assault.
"Master, no! Stop!" cried Shi Jin, himself running after them. An assortment of birds rose from their roosts, flying to and fro, chirping cacophonic noises. Voices from inside the estate could be heard, exclaiming "They're fighting!" "Somebody stop them!" "Get Lord Chai!" "Don't jump out of the window!" "Thrash them, wife!"
Wang Jin ignored everyone as she caught up, raining down attempted blow after attempted blow at Gu Dasao. Shi Jin was running towards them, but they were moving at the same rate, Gu Dasao retreating while Wang Jin pressed the attack. But his master lacked the speed and ferocity he saw during the spars against Wu Song. The kicks did not appear to have any effect, as they were blocked or parried by Gu's legs and hands. Gu dodged or blocked the fists seemingly at the last second, and Shi Jin immediately realized that at this rate, Wang Jin's offense would leave multiple openings for counterattacks. Indeed, it was his master that was grunting with every strike, particularly every lunging, spinning, and jumping kick, as if she was the one being hurt, not her younger counterpart.
"Please, Master! Remember Lord Chai's words! Stop doing this!"
Again, Wang Jin ignored him, as she tried a back hook kick that was easily dodged. This allowed the opportunity for Shi Jin to briefly look at his Master's face.
She looked in absolute agony. Whether it was the private conversation they had or the cramps, or a combination of both, the one in pain was Wang Jin, the attacker. The defender, Gu Dasao, had a hint of a smirk on her face as if she was merely toying with Wang Jin even though all she did was block, dodge, and retreat.
That maneuver left his master wide open, but for some reason, Gu Dasao was not counterattacking. Then Shi Jin remembered that the villager respected Wang Sheng's old command to not attack her daughter again.
"Think of your mother, Master! Gu respects your mother!"
In response, Wang Jin quickly turned her head over her right shoulder, a scowl on her lips, as she yelled, "just shut up, student!" She then turned her head back to face her opponent...
Only to be greeted by a devastating right cross from Gu Dasao that whipped Wang Jin's neck back towards Shi Jin, a mixture of pain and shock on her face as excess spit escaped from her struck mouth, splattering the floor.
"MASTER!" yelled Shi Jin as he rushed over. But before he could get there, Gu Dasao followed up her right cross with both a duck kick to the lower abdomen and a backfist to the instructor's face. Wang Jin apparently blocked the kick with her arms but her head whipped back as the fist smashed her face, and he heard a sickening crack.
"AAAH!" screamed Wang Jin, as she desperately raised her arms in front of her face, leaving the rest of her body entirely unprotected. Seizing the opportunity, Gu, in one motion, moved her back foot back, leaned her head and shoulders towards her front foot, and punched with all her might into Wang Jin's lower abdomen.
"Guh..." Wang Jin groaned in utter pain, her body bent forward like an aged tree, her arms instinctively shifting downwards towards her gut. But not quick enough as Shi Jin heard her yell in pain again as Gu Dasao followed the gut punch with a knee strike in the same spot. Then, to his dismay, he saw his master suddenly reel back after what sounded like a sickening uppercut to Wang Jin's chin. Thankfully, Shi Jin was close enough that he caught his master before Wang Jin fell, one hand supporting the back of her head and the other gently laying her down on the ground.
"Master! Master!" Shi Jin cried as he checked his master's wounds. Blood already was dripping down to the ground from a bloody lip. The uppercut broke the skin and began to stain Wang Jin's chin red as well. But most worrisome was the rapidly reddening spot underneath his master's right eye. Her eyes were shut in pain, but he could feel her heartbeat and heard the bursts of breath that escaped her bloody mouth. Of course, Instructor Wang would not die to such a few blows!
"Stupid dumbass! Insult my husband, insult me, and expect sympathy? Your pain is your fault! Fuck you, dumb bitch!" Gu Dasao derisively said, as she opened her hands and shook them about as if trying to get feeling back in them.
Rage overwhelmed him, and had he not been holding Wang Jin, he would have charged directly at the villager with reckless abandon.
"You merciless scoundrel! You said you wouldn't attack my master!" Shi Jin barked, "I'll cave your face in!"
"Oh? The apprentice wants to join their master?" Gu Dasaothen immediately went back to a fighting stance, "your master attacked first; everything was fair game. Now their face and pride are broken. Do you want to join that rotten egg? Fine! Put your fists up!"
Where the hell is Wu Song? angrily thought Shi Jin. There seemingly was a distant answer, though, as he could hear the ground rumble as it appeared multiple people were running in their direction. Before he could respond, however, he felt her master's body move.
"Uggh," groaned Wang Jin as she tried to sit up, but failed and grit her teeth in pain. She opened her eyes again, and that's when Shi Jin realized that she could only open her right eye halfway. Her right orbital bone was broken.
"Master, no! I can-"
"Stay out of this, Shi Jin!" yelled Wang Jin, as he noted her teeth were partly coated with blood. She moved her body so that she was in a push-up position, blood dripping down from her face to the ground, then slowly stood up.
"Listen to your student and stay down," said Gu Dasao, whose eyes narrowed, "pretty sure I broke your right eye. Certainly felt-"
"You should've aimed for the throat," spoke Wang Jin in a dangerously soft tone as she then spat a bloody glob of spit to her side. Standing, she entered into a more conservative stance. She had her left foot in front and right foot in back. Her left hand in front formed a fist as her knuckles cracked, while her left hand formed the shape of an eagle claw, chambered to her right side.
"Just retreat... they'll be separating us in a minute or so." commented Gu Dasao, who glared and tightened both of her fists, "or you won't be getting up again."
"You should take your advice: run back into your husband's arms before he cradles your broken body," coolly replied Wang Jin.
Realization hit Shi Jin as he heard the distant rumble grow louder, along with the sound of clattering as if someone was running in full sprint with lamellar armor. The others finally were arriving to stop the fight, something he should've been doing this whole time.
Wang continued, "maybe I am a dumbass for insulting you, Gu. You never wore my shoes; how could you understand? Maybe you caught me at a bad time. Maybe I've had the worst few weeks of my life and can't think straight.
"... or maybe I'll just punch your teeth down your throat."
At this, Shi Jin stepped in between the pair of women as he directly faced his master, "no! Your eye, master! You can't-"
"Get out of the way, Shi Jin!"
"Absolutely not! You'll have to-"
"Duck, you fool!"
But by the time Shi Jin realized that there was movement behind him, something smashed the back of his head and a ringing overwhelmed all his senses as he collapsed into his master's arms. Every sound he heard now seemed like it was 500 miles away. His body was cast aside on the ground as his vision blurred and a rainbow of colors obscured whatever he saw. It was only afterward he would realize that Gu Dasao sharply struck him in the back of the head.
As of that moment, though, darkness greeted and embraced him, and Shi Jin knew no more.
To find out the aftermath of this brawl, please read the next chapter.
