Shooting the Eagle: Starting from Iron Palm Peak

The two entered the city, and Guo Jing chose an inn.

It wasn't Changqing Tower, but a small inn in the west of the city. The first floor was the dining hall, and the second floor was the guest rooms. The inn's facade wasn't large, but it was clean and tidy, with two lanterns hanging at the entrance, casting a dim yellow light in the twilight. Guo Jing led the horse, with Lin Qi following behind. The two went inside, and the waiter greeted them with a beaming smile.

"Gentlemen, would you like to have a meal or stay the night?"

"Let's eat first," Guo Jing said. He handed the horse to the waiter to lead it to the stable, and went upstairs with Lin Qi to the second floor, where they found a table by the window. The second floor was quieter than the first, with only three or four tables of customers, all of whom looked like merchants, talking in hushed tones. They could see pedestrians on the street outside the window; dusk was falling, and streetlights were being lit.

Guo Jing took the menu, ordered four or five dishes, and then handed the menu to Lin Qi. Lin Qi added one more dish and returned the menu to the waiter.

"Brother Lin," Guo Jing said, clasping his hands in thanks, "thank you for your help today. Those men were quite skilled; if it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have been able to save my horse. Consider this meal my way of thanking you."

Lin Qi smiled and said, "Brother Guo, you're too kind. It was nothing, just a small favor. Besides, we're traveling together, so it's only right that we look after each other."

Guo Jing nodded, his expression sincere: "Brother Lin is highly skilled in martial arts and of good character. It is my good fortune to be able to get to know Brother Lin."

Lin Qi waved his hand, about to speak, when a commotion suddenly arose downstairs.

"Get out of here, you little beggar! This isn't a place for you!"

A boy's voice, tinged with grievance, said, "I...I only took one steamed bun..."

"Not even a single steamed bun! If you don't have money, get out! If you don't leave, I'll break your legs!"

Guo Jing frowned and peered downstairs. Lin Qi also turned and looked through the gap in the railing. A beggar of about fifteen or sixteen stood at the inn's entrance, dressed in a tattered gray robe, a worn-out black leather hat askew on her head, her face and hands covered in soot, making her unrecognizable. But her teeth were snow-white and fine, and her eyes were dark and bright, like two gems in the twilight. She clutched a steamed bun in her hand, being shoved away by the waiter. The beggar wasn't annoyed; she smiled, but a hint of stubbornness was clearly in her eyes, and her lips were slightly upturned, as if she were watching an amusing play.

Guo Jing stood up and said to Lin Qi, "Brother Lin, I'll go down and take a look."

Lin Qi nodded, picked up his teacup, and slowly took a sip. He knew who this was and what Guo Jing would do. He didn't need to interfere, nor could he. This was a matter between Guo Jing and Huang Rong; as an outsider, he shouldn't meddle.

Guo Jing went downstairs, walked to the door, and said to the waiter, "Don't be rough, put it on my tab."

The waiter was taken aback. He glanced at Guo Jing's Mongolian robe and then at the silver ingot in his hand. He quickly put on a smiling face and said, "Yes, yes, it's up to you, sir."

Guo Jing picked up the steamed bun from the ground, dusted it off, and handed it to the little beggar.

The little beggar took the steamed bun, looked at it, and frowned slightly, as if she were appraising some delicacy. She broke the bun open, smelled it, shook her head, and said, "This steamed bun isn't made well. Poor thing, you can have it!" With that, she bent down and tossed the bun to a mangy little dog by the door. The dog, who was skin and bones from hunger, pounced on it and began to devour it, its tail wagging happily.

Guo Jing stared at the scene for a moment, then smiled. It wasn't a mocking smile, nor a helpless one, but a genuine, heartfelt laugh of amusement. He wasn't angry, nor did he press the matter; he simply turned and went back upstairs.

Lin Qi sat by the window, observing everything. He silently admired Guo Jing. He wouldn't look down on the beggar just because he was a lowly beggar, nor would he get angry because the beggar fed the dog a steamed bun. In his view, he had done his part—he gave the beggar a steamed bun, and how she disposed of it was her prerogative. He never cared how others treated his kindness.

Guo Jing returned to his seat; the dishes had already been served. There was a plate of braised beef, a plate of stir-fried vegetables, a dish of peanuts, a bowl of soup, and the sweet and sour fish that Lin Qi had added. The two ate and chatted for a while. Guo Jing talked about his life in Mongolia, his masters, and the purpose of his trip south. Lin Qi listened quietly, occasionally asking a question, neither appearing indifferent nor overly enthusiastic.

A moment later, footsteps echoed from the stairwell. The little beggar came up, her steps light and quick, like a nimble cat. Her dark, bright eyes swept around the second floor before she sat down at the table next to Guo Jing and Lin Qi, tossing her tattered leather hat on the table and crossing her legs.

Upon seeing this, Guo Jing quickly said, "Young brother, come and eat with us. This is Brother Lin, my friend. The two of us can't eat this much."

The beggar smiled, and without any ceremony, stood up and walked over. Guo Jing asked the waiter to bring another set of chopsticks and a bowl. The beggar sat down but didn't eat. He just looked at Guo Jing with a grin, his eyes filled with curiosity and scrutiny.

Guo Jing felt a little embarrassed by her gaze, scratched his head, and asked, "Little brother, why aren't you eating?"

The little beggar laughed and said, "What's the rush? Let's eat the fruit first." She turned her head and called out, "Hey, waiter, bring me four dried fruits, four fresh fruits, two pickled fruits, and four candied fruits."

The waiter, who was carrying a teapot, paused upon hearing this, looked her up and down, and sneered, "What kind of fruit or candied fruit would you like, sir?"

The beggar wasn't annoyed. He smiled and said, "In a poor little inn like this, I doubt you could come up with anything good. So be it. The four dried fruits are lychees, longans, steamed dates, and ginkgo nuts. Pick the freshest fruits you can find. For the salty and sour ones, I'd like fragrant cherries and ginger plums. I wonder if you can buy those here? As for candied fruits? I'd like rose-flavored kumquats, fragrant grapes, sugar-coated peach strips, and pear slices."

The waiter, hearing how knowledgeable the man spoke, abandoned his initial disdain and hurriedly agreed to go. As he walked, he wiped his sweat, muttering to himself, it was unclear whether he was complaining or admiring.

The beggar then said, "We don't have any fresh fish or shrimp here to go with the drinks. Hmm, how about eight so-so dishes?"

This time, the waiter behaved himself, bowing low as he asked, "What would you like to eat?"

The beggar said, "I'll only order the dishes you can make here: braised quail, stir-fried duck feet, chicken tongue soup, scallops stuffed in deer stomach, pan-fried beef tendon with mandarin duck filling, shredded rabbit with chrysanthemum filling, stir-fried venison leg, and braised pork hock with ginger and vinegar. As for the more expensive dishes, we'll skip those."

The waiter's mouth dropped open, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. He knew that just the duck feet and chicken tongue soup required dozens of chickens and ducks—something no ordinary restaurant could afford. As he hesitated, unsure how to answer, the beggar added, "Add twelve side dishes and eight desserts, and that should be about right."

The waiter dared not ask the name of the dish again, fearing the restaurant couldn't make it. He wiped the sweat from his brow and turned to leave. His back looked somewhat disheveled, and his steps were much faster than when he arrived.

Lin Qi sat to the side, watching this scene, inwardly sighing. He knew that Huang Rong was avenging Guo Jing—the waiter had earlier insulted her by calling her a beggar, so she ordered this table full of unusual and strange dishes to teach him a lesson, showing him that appearances can be deceiving. Guo Jing didn't seem to mind, simply smiling at her, occasionally pouring her a cup of tea, his eyes full of kindness.

The beggar chatted with Guo Jing while waiting for her food. She asked Guo Jing where he came from, where he was going, and what he did for a living, and Guo Jing answered her questions without hiding anything. He answered whatever the beggar asked, even revealing how much money he had with him, without feeling anything was wrong.

"Brother Guo, what are you going to Jiangnan for?" the little beggar asked, tilting his head.

Guo Jing said, "I'm going to Jiaxing. Eighteen years ago, my masters made an appointment with a Taoist priest to have a martial arts contest at the Zuixianlou Restaurant in Jiaxing. I must arrive before March 24th and cannot be late."

The little beggar gave an "Oh," a hint of interest flashing in her eyes, but she didn't ask any more questions. She then asked about Mongolia, the scenery of the desert, cattle, sheep, and horses, and about Guo Jing's childhood. Guo Jing answered them all, his words simple and unadorned, yet possessing a genuine power.

Lin Qi sat to the side, slowly eating peanuts, occasionally interjecting a word or two. He knew that Guo Jing was the protagonist of this scene, and he couldn't steal the spotlight, nor could he let Huang Rong find him suspicious. He just listened quietly, nodding occasionally and smiling sometimes, like a dutiful supporting actor.

Dishes were served one after another, filling the table to the brim. The little beggar picked up her chopsticks and began to eat, quickly but not roughly; her wrist deftly flicked when picking up food, displaying an indescribable dexterity. Guo Jing didn't eat much, but simply kept her company, occasionally pouring her a cup of tea or moving dishes from a distance to her side.

The meal lasted a long time. Guo Jing didn't say much, but every word he spoke was sincere. The little beggar became happier and happier as they talked, his eyes shining brighter and brighter, like two twinkling stars. Lin Qi knew that Huang Rong had been moved by Guo Jing's sincerity. She had seen too many hypocritical people and too many sycophants; she had never met anyone as guileless and genuine as Guo Jing.

Finally, the little beggar put down his chopsticks, patted his belly, and sighed contentedly.

"Brother Guo, you're such a good person." Her voice was clear and crisp, with an indescribable warmth, unlike a boy's voice.

Guo Jing smiled and said, "It's nothing, just a meal."

The little beggar stood up and said she was leaving. Guo Jing noticed that she was thinly dressed, and the cold wind was blowing in through the cracks in the window, causing her shoulders to hunch slightly. Without a word, Guo Jing took out a sable fur coat from his bundle and draped it over her shoulders. He had hunted that sable fur coat in Mongolia; its fur was jet black and glossy, and it was extremely warm.

The little beggar was taken aback. She looked down at the mink coat, then looked up at Guo Jing, her eyes suddenly reddening. She quickly lowered her head, wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, then looked up again, smiling as if nothing had happened.

Guo Jing then took out two gold ingots from his pocket and stuffed them into her hand: "Little brother, take this silver and buy yourself a warm coat."

The little beggar looked at the two ingots of gold and did not refuse. She raised her head and looked at Guo Jing, her eyes filled with something indescribable—a mix of emotion, joy, and a kind of fluttering feeling that she herself could not explain.

"Brother Guo, you..." She paused, then suddenly smiled, a very beautiful smile, "I'm leaving."

She turned and walked out, but after a few steps, she turned back to look at Guo Jing. Guo Jing was still standing there watching her, a simple, honest smile on his face. She waved to him, turned, went downstairs, and disappeared into the night.

Guo Jing returned to his seat, sat down, and seemed somewhat dejected. He looked at Lin Qi and smiled a little embarrassedly: "Brother Lin, I'm sorry you had to see this."

Lin Qi shook his head: "Brother Guo is kind and generous, I admire him greatly. That young man is also an interesting person."

Guo Jing nodded, and said thoughtfully, "Yes. Although he is just a beggar, he speaks and acts differently from ordinary people."

The two sat for a while longer and ate something. Guo Jing paid the bill, and the two went back to their rooms to rest.

Lin Qi lay on the hard bed in the inn, reviewing the day's events from beginning to end. He had successfully encountered Huang Rong with Guo Jing without arousing her suspicion. Guo Jing's initial intention to invite Lin Qi to dinner was interrupted by Huang Rong, but the two thus became acquainted with this "young brother." The following plot should likely follow the original story's direction—Huang Rong will come to find him again, inviting him to Changqing Tower for tea, and then the two will travel to Zhongdu together.

And he, as Guo Jing's friend, will naturally accompany him. He won't disrupt the original plot, but he will stand by Guo Jing's side as a participant.

Lin Qi touched the Iron Palm Token in his pocket, silently thinking about the road ahead.

Outside the window, the moon was bright, shining into the courtyard like a layer of frost. In the distance, the faint sound of the watchman's clapper could be heard, one slow beat followed by three fast ones, indicating that it was already past midnight.