The 47th Trick: Cheating Li Shishi

  Wu Song and the others returned to Kaifeng at dawn the next day. Before they reached the city gate, the guards recognized them as their own country's masters and hastily opened the gate, respectfully inviting everyone in. The general led a group of soldiers, looking at the captured foreign monks, and asked with a stern expression: "Great Master, where are those barbarian masters?"

  A group of arrogant and self-important people stuffed the small room to the brim, and Gao Lian patted the box containing human heads and said proudly: "We've eaten them all!"

  That general was even more respectful, and the crowd walked into the city with their heads held high. Wu Song called Lin Chong and the Zhang brothers, saying: "We'll go back to the mansion first, and ask our younger brother to throw these heads in front of Tongwen Hall, let's see if those barbarians dare to be arrogant!"

  Lin Chong and the Zhang brothers rode horses, dragging several boxes of human heads, arrived at Tongwen Hall, smashed open the gate, Western Xia guards holding knives rushed out, surrounding the three people. Lin Chong and others simply ignored them, opened the box, arranged the human heads in a row, saying: "Your country's offering, to challenge Lord Wu, has already been killed by our lord, the head is here!"

  All they heard was the sound of clanging, those guards were so frightened that their faces turned pale, and the knives and guns in their hands all fell to the ground. In their hearts, these barbarian monks were gods, and the gods had been killed by someone, how could they not be shocked?

  "Who dares to make a disturbance here?" Several maidservants supported the envoy of Xia Guo as he walked out, and the Xia official looked at the rows of people's heads with a pale face. The Zhang brothers glared at him with a fierce smile, but saw that the envoy's eyes rolled back, and he was so frightened that he fainted.

  Lin Chong and the other two walked out of the gate, when suddenly the door to the Tubo embassy opened a crack, and a head poked out, trembling with fear: "Your Honors, where is our State Preceptor?"

  "Is it Bo Luo Xing? He also ate at our house, and was killed by Wu Da Ren!"

  The gate of the Tubo Envoys' Mansion slammed shut with a loud bang, and a burst of wailing cries came from inside. Only the gate of the Liao State Envoys' Mansion remained tightly closed. Lin Chong laughed and said: "Just a few days ago they were so arrogant, now they know to tuck their tails between their legs like humans. Two brothers, I'll head back home first and let my wife know that I'm safe, lest she worries again." He patted his horse and left.

  The Zhang brothers didn't rush back to the Tianji Pavilion, instead they ran wildly through the streets and alleys, finding a few storytellers and telling them about yesterday's great battle. They said: "Spread the word for us, let everyone in the world know about our family's martial arts master's bravery and our brothers' prestige!"

  At this moment, the brave and powerful Wu Da Ren was sitting on the edge of his bed in his bedroom. A maidservant brought over hot water and used a hot towel to wipe his face. She then brought over foot washing water, removed his shoes and socks, and wiped his big toes. The official saw that the maidservant had a slender and delicate body and couldn't help but have some thoughts. He pinched her buttocks and laughed saying: "You're called Little Red Moon? Every month you'll turn red once..."

  That made the girl lower her head even more, her eyes turned red, she went out and splashed the washing water, covered the door and came back to take off her clothes, only leaving a bellyband, and was about to crawl into the quilt. The official hastily pulled her out, only to see Xiaoyue with tears streaming down her face, saying in surprise: "Isn't it that serious? I just casually teased for a sentence..."

  Xiao Yuehong blinked her eyes and said with a smile: "Does the master not want his servant girl to attend him in bed?"

  Wu Song said, "The master is not that kind of person, don't think of the old man as those scoundrels in the capital!" Suddenly seeing the maid's white arms and legs, her belly bulging with two small balls under her apron, her waist soft and slender, he immediately changed his tone and said, "The master is indeed that kind of person, quickly get into bed with him!"

  Xiao Yuehong ignored the second half of Da Guanren's sentence, immediately got out of bed, dressed neatly, and walked towards the door. Da Guanren clutched his chest, regretful and called out: "Go get Shi Xiniang over here, Master has something to instruct!"

  "I know, the old master likes the old one." Little Yue responded with a crisp sentence, seeing the official get angry and chase out of the room, she quickly stuck out her tongue and slipped away swiftly.

  "Dead girl, don't run so fast, be careful you'll fall and knock out your teeth! When you find Xi Niangzi, tell her to come see me in the study!"

  Wu Song arrived at the study first, and Shi Xiang's wife followed closely behind him, saying: "What are your orders, sir?"

  Wu Song carefully chose his words, and after a while said: "Li Erniang bravely sacrificed herself for the country, leaving behind only one daughter, Li Shishi. She died for the court, her daughter cannot be left unattended, can't let her sell spring in the brothel, lest outsiders feel cold-hearted? Xi Niangzi, I heard that you were doing human trafficking business recently?"

  The young woman hastily lowered her head and said, "I used to do it before, but I don't do it now." Her eyes rolled around restlessly as she thought to herself, "There are still five or six children hidden at home, they must be sent back to their parents as soon as possible, lest the master finds out."

  "Then do it again, go to Ma Xing Street, by hook or by crook or by drugging him, you must bring Li Shishi to the Tianji Pavilion."

  At this time, the wife saw that he was not pursuing her past and let out a sigh of relief, saying: "Master, Second Wife had just died, and you abducted her daughter, I'm afraid it doesn't conform to the Jianghu code of conduct..."

  "Where is the deception? It's taking her daughter over to enjoy good fortune! With Li Shishi coming, she naturally won't become a prostitute. This official will also give her the best house and the most clever maidservants. She'll have clothes at hand and food at mouth."

  At this time, Shi Niangzi was moved and said: "The master is indeed a good man! I'll take Li Shishi over, where should she live?"

  "Where is the best house in Tianji Pavilion?"

  The young lady suddenly realized: "The place where the master lives is luxurious and magnificent, similar to an imperial palace."

  "Let her stay in this official's bedroom then, and have the old master serve her personally... Hurry up and come back quickly!"

  "Exactly!"

  When the time came for his wife to leave, Wu Daifu was excitedly pacing back and forth in his room, sat down to read "The Analects", but couldn't focus on reading, threw the book on the ground and trampled it with his feet: "A refined and virtuous girl, a gentleman delights in her, delights in her, delights in her!" After a while, he calmed down and walked out of the door, only to find Gong Sunyan and Xiaoyuehong directing over ten maidservants to move things out of his room. He hastily stepped forward and said: "Who dares to disturb my belongings? Quickly put them back!"

  Gong Shu smiled and said, "I heard that the master of the pavilion has taken in Erniang's daughter and let her live in the most luxurious house with the most useful maids. I thought to myself, 'The master must have given up his own house for her.' But then I thought about it some more and realized that the things the master uses couldn't possibly be used by a daughter-in-law. So I had the maids move the furniture around in the backyard to clear out a few rooms. It's quiet there, and it's also close to my place, so we can often discuss magic together."

  "Haha! You're absolutely right......" Wu Da thought to himself while secretly scolding Xi Niangzi's gossipy mouth.

  Gong Shu Yanran smiled and said, "Xiao Yuehong said that the master is satisfied with his current life and must have taken a liking to Li Shishi. I said the master isn't that kind of person, now it seems, the master indeed isn't that kind of person."

  Wu Song glared at Little Red, who stuck out her tongue and hid behind Gong Sun's back with a fearless look. Wu Da Guan Ren wiped away his tears and left, walking to the pavilion where he saw Chen Li Qing jumping towards him, shouting from afar: "Fifth Uncle, I've been looking for you for so long!"

  "Liqing, haven't you found another good fellow?"

  "Ride a horse!" The little girl pointed at his neck and said crisply.

  Wu Song picked her up and put her on his shoulder, and the little girl said in a crisp tone: "Li Qing really saw a good man, but it was a good man who was beaten to vomit blood. I met Yang Zhi of Tianbo House a few days ago, thinking he was a rare strongman, so I wanted to make friends with him and learn from his boxing skills to see who is the best in the world. Unexpectedly, the steward of Tianbo House looked at me with dog eyes and never let me in, so I cried..."

  Wu Song reached out and pinched her small nose, laughing: "Crying again, aren't you ashamed!"

  Chen Liqing said with a smile: "The steward saw how fierce I was and hastily ordered the servants to buy sugar gourds, I extorted three! Just as I was about to go home and come back tomorrow, I suddenly saw an old man, spitting blood while walking into Tianbo Mansion. He instructed the steward: 'Quickly invite your master's wife to treat my injuries!' The steward rushed back to report, after a while, a beautiful big sister came over to support him."

  That old man saw me and said to me, 'Go and call Wu Song to see me. I want to strip off his tiger skin!' Although this old man was spitting blood, I could see that he was really a top-notch hero in the world, comparable to me!