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20 ^ ^ The Bloodstaine d Fa n Emergency breeds cleverness. Huang escorted Master Liu into a restaurant and told him about the suspicious conduct of the two big men. Then he and Master Liu quickly slipped out through the backdoor. Taking a detour, they returned to their boat. The boat set sail and travelled for over ten li when it became dark. Huang was afraid tha t th e tw o me n migh t stil l b e pursuin g them , s o h e an d hi s teache r abandoned the boat and headed towards Hangzhou by road. Having paid the boatmen heavily and repeatedly admonishing them to keep their movements a secret, the party went on their way in the night. Soon, they saw some lights. These came from a very dilapidated temple. Old Master Liu was unable to continue the journey any more, so they all took refug e there. There was only an old monk in the temple. The several guestrooms had already collapsed, so Master Liu and Huang could only lay out the beddings in the mai n hall, whilst the two servants and the old monk spent the night in the annex . Master Liu was an old man, and he had the habit of reading at night. Ordinarily it would no t b e until midnigh t tha t h e coul d fall asleep . Huang was even mor e energetic; he could read until the cocks began to crow. That night, teacher and pupil went to sleep early after a short conversation by the candlelight. After th e scare which 'Yellow-stout ' had given them during th e day, and because they had to make an early start in the morning, they settled down for the night . However, they did not expect that Jingang Number Seven and the murderers hired by Commander Liu Zeqing had already caught up with them at the temple. The Peach Blossom Fan Hiding themselves behind the great hall, they waited beside the statue of the Vedas and kept watch. The tall, lean one perceived that old man Liu had on him a well-worn turban and a coarse robe. Could the President of the Censorate of the Second Rank look so shabby? Deeply suspicious he whispered to Jingang Number Seven, 'Do you think we have made a mistake?' 'Certainly not! Certainly not!' Jingang Number Seven assured him. The two men carried their shiny steel knives on their backs, held their breath and listene d t o thei r victims ' conversation . The y wer e waitin g for the m t o fal l asleep before taking action. The teache r an d his pupil were completely unawar e o f the danger awaitin g them and soon were fast asleep. The tall and lean man asked Jingang Number Seven, 'He is an official o f the Second Rank. Upon his retirement as President of the Censorate, he should have with him baskets full o f gold and silver and treasures . Let us first ro b him of his valuables and then finish off the old man!' When Jingang Number Seve n heard this , his greed could not be restrained . He immediately went secretly to the room at the rear where the servants and the monk were resting. He made a hole in the paper window and fumigate th e room with smok e of stupefying incense . As soon as the inmate s fel l unconscious, th e intruders boldl y li t th e candle s an d turne d th e boxe s an d luggage s over . The y found nothing but some old books, old clothes, paintings and calligraphy. All that attracted thei r attentio n wer e th e coppe r coin s an d thirt y tael s o f loos e silve r pieces among the servants' belongings. Jingang Number Seven was so exasperated that he kicked at the books and exclaimed, 'I must have inherited the misfortune s of my ancestors going back to eighteen generations! How is it that I meet up with this impoverished old phantom!' Thus shouting, he lifted his steel knife and rushed out, fully intending to chop down the 'impoverished old phantom' in order to vent his indignation . The murderer sent by Liu Zeqing, however, grabbed him by the arm and refused to let go. He cooed, 'My lord the Seventh, slowly, slowly!' He had often seen officials whose position was as tiny as a...

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