When Ye Wen saw Jinshan leave, he knew what he was going to face. He sighed and said nothing. What a damn world.
Hearing Ye Wen's long sigh, Wang Yan said, "Why don't you also wander around the north?"
At this time, Zhang Yongcheng came out and said, "No, the child is still so young. What should we do if something happens to you?" Ye Wen did not hide anything they did. As long as it did not affect the safety of his family, Zhang Yongcheng just let them do whatever they wanted. Seeing Wang Yan trying to trick Ye Wen into going to war, Zhang Yongcheng was fed up: "Ah Yan, don't say that again. Otherwise, don't blame your sister-in-law for not letting you in."
Wang Yan waved his hand nonchalantly: "How could that be? It's just a joke, sister-in-law, don't think too much about it."
Zhang Yongcheng rolled her eyes at Wang Yan in anger and went to coax Ye Zhun. She didn't believe Wang Yan's nonsense. Based on her understanding of Ye Wen, Ye Wen was definitely moved just now.
"Ayan, Yongcheng she..."
"Nothing, just ask me, I know everything. Besides, there's no way I'd send you to the battlefield."
Ip Man sighed again, remaining silent. Sometimes he envied Wang Yan's unbridled carefreeness, wishing he could grab his gun and mount his horse, follow Wang Yan out on a killing spree. But every time he thought of his wife and children at home, and then looked at Wang Yan's murderous expression, the thought faded. What a damned world!
Ignoring the sentimental Ip Man, Wang Yan said hello and left. It was obvious that Zhang Yongcheng didn't like him today.
For a period of time afterwards, Wang Yan rarely stopped. Perhaps this was the calm before the storm.
In March of the 36th year, Wang Yan received the news that Gong Baosen was going to retire from the martial arts world. He was raised by Gong Baosen, so he had to go. He had to go.
He immediately took the newly recruited soldiers and Li Qiankun and headed north. With more than a month left, he might as well take part in a battle.
They traveled in batches for half a month, gathered the people active here, and started working immediately. They asked their men to contact Lao Yang, mainly to exchange information. Suddenly, Wang came over.
Old Yang received the news and instantly understood what was going on. He hurriedly began formulating a battle plan overnight, aiming for a major offensive. After various discussions, they finally decided to attack the strategic location guarded by a regiment. It was only because of Wang Yan's presence that he wouldn't have dared to make such a large-scale move.
Although Wang Yan's men were all ruthless and had sufficient combat skills, without Wang Yan, they would be considered extraneous members of the Anti-Japanese United Army. With Wang Yan, it was completely different; they were two completely different teams.
Wang Yan waited a day and received intelligence from the Anti-Japanese Allied Forces. Lao Yang was also an old friend and was quite familiar with Wang Yan's fighting style. He told him directly which one to target and when to do it.
They naturally took on the main force, with Lao Yang providing support. This was unavoidable, as if there was a mistake and they couldn't defeat the enemy, Lao Yang's men, who couldn't outrun Wang Yan's men, would have to take the blame.
The strategic goal was definitely achieved, but it was ultimately a bit too harsh and hasty. Even if there was some deliberate intention, with the drugging and assassination, nearly a hundred of Wang Yan's men still died. These people were basically newcomers, and the others were more or less injured. It all depended on their luck. Lao Yang's situation was not much better. He himself was shot twice, one grazed a piece of flesh, and the other hit the shoulder. This was all normal operation. He was already covered in wounds, and they were treated quickly and it was over. Apart from the pain, it was not a big deal.
Jinshan was luckier. Even Li Qiankun, who was protected by Wang Yan, was shot. He only had some skin broken and was fine.
This fight basically crippled him, and he needed to recuperate for a while. After dealing with the aftermath, Wang Yan rushed to Fengtian.
After rushing and hurrying, we finally arrived at the place on the day when Gong Baosen retired.
He observed carefully along the way. He had to be careful. The Japanese knew Wang Yan's relationship with Gong Baosen, and they had it all figured out. They were weak in the south, unable to control him. Fengtian was their base camp, waiting for him to fall into their trap and behead him. Fortunately, Wang Yan had plenty of experience lurking behind enemy lines. Disguised, he managed to sneak into the ceremony venue without incident. It was a large restaurant, the best of its time and place.
After all, Ma San was raised by Gong Baosen from childhood, no less than his own son. When Wang Yan entered, Gong Baosen was already on stage rubbing shoulders with Ma San. This was the equivalent of a succession ceremony, vindicating Ma San's reputation and making him the face of the Gong family from now on.
Wang Yan silently looked at Ma San, who was looking so glorious on the stage. He wondered if Ma San still had the courage to surrender to the enemy with him, Wang, around.
After watching for a while, Wang Yan quietly left the place. It was too crowded and unsightly for him to stay for long, so he turned around and went to the Gong family mansion to wait.
The Gong family was very familiar with Wang Yan. Without exaggerating, they sometimes had to rely on Wang Yan's name to get by. Seeing Wang Yan's true face revealed at the door, the remaining disciples had seen him before and quickly stepped aside to let Wang Yan in. They glanced around and closed the door.
The disciple led Wang Yan in and asked, "Brother Wang, why are you here?"
"Master Gong has retired. I, Wang, am able to be where I am today thanks to Master Gong's promotion." Wang Yan stepped into the room and said, "It's all deserved."
"Brother Wang is a trustworthy person, please rest here first. Master and the others won't be back for a while, so I won't disturb you." After saying this, the disciple took his leave.
Anyone who could guard the house at this moment was trustworthy. Wang Yan had also come into contact with this person before, so there was nothing to worry about.
Wang Yan went into the side room and lay down on the kang, falling asleep. The Japanese were really crazy. This time they had suffered a lot of losses, and they were desperately trying to catch them. I hadn't even slept well during this period, and now that I had relaxed a little, I couldn't resist the sleepiness.
A slightly tipsy Gong Baosen returned with a large group of disciples. The disciple who had been there quickly stopped him and whispered something in his ear. Gong Baosen perked up for a moment, sobering up. Then he came to his senses and returned to his usual self.
Honestly, Gong Baosen was also quite conflicted. He had always felt a bit regretful if Wang Yan hadn't come. But when he finally came, he was surprised and delighted.
After sending away all the disciples, Gong Baosen took Ma San and Gong Er to the room where he met guests.
When he entered the room and didn't see Wang Yan, he turned around, opened the curtain of the side room, and walked in. Ma San and Gong Er followed Gong Baosen.
Wang Yan was now suffering from severe aftereffects, and Gong Baosen's movement startled him awake. He rolled directly onto the kang to the wall, a pistol instantly appearing in his hand, and charged forward.
His gun was loaded and ready to fire in the space. Fortunately, Wang Yan reacted in time and did not shoot, otherwise Gong Baosen would have been killed by him.
Gong Baosen didn't react until Wang Yan stopped in front of him. As for the two people behind him, they didn't react at all. When they came in, they saw Wang Yan coming with a gun in his hand.
Wang Yan put away his gun and bowed to Gong Baosen awkwardly, saying, "Master Gong, I'm so sorry. I'm used to it."
Gong Baosen laughed and said, "Haha, I understand, I understand. It's okay, don't take it to heart. Sit down and talk." After that, Gong Baosen sat on the kang.
Wang Yan nodded to Gong Er, then turned and sat down on the kang. As for Ma San, it was unnecessary to bother with him.
Gong Baosen noticed Wang Yan's actions and said with a smile: "Let me introduce you, this is my daughter, Gong Er."
Wang Yan said to Gong Er, "Hello, Miss Gong Er."
Gong Er nodded: "Hello."
Gong Baosen said, "Alright, we're all family. There's no need to be so polite when it comes to good or bad things." After that, he looked at Gong Er and said, "Go make some tea."
Gong Er glanced at Wang Yan, then turned around and went out to make tea.
Without anyone giving way, Ma San took the position behind Gong Baosen. Now he knew that Gong Baosen hadn't hidden anything from him about Wang Yan. To be honest, he was a little scared when he heard it. Of course, he still refused to accept it. Wang Yan didn't like him, so would he like Wang Yan? If he didn't provoke you, wouldn't that be the end of it? His master should have some face.
"You shouldn't have come." Gong Baosen said to Wang Yan who was sitting across from the small square table.
"I am where I am today thanks to Master Gong's support. How could I not come for such a big event?"
"You..." Gong Baosen smiled with relief and said, "Just now, from your movements, your hand holding the gun seemed unsteady. Are you injured?"
Wang Yan glanced at Gong Baosen in surprise. He hadn't expected that he could control himself so well, and that Gong Baosen, at his age, could still spot it. Wang Yan said, "Master Gong has good eyesight. It's just a minor injury, but it's nothing serious."
Gong Baosen didn't believe it. How could the injuries from the hail of bullets be minor? He asked, "How serious are your injuries?"
"My leg was scraped and my shoulder was shot. They've all been taken care of. It's nothing serious. Master Gong, don't worry."
Gong Baosen asked curiously, "Are you making a move again? Why haven't I received any news?" Whenever Wang Yan made trouble in the past, rumors were everywhere, but this time he didn't receive any news at all.
Wang Yan explained: "We worked together on the one with Lao Yang's Anti-Japanese United Army."
"Hiss..." Gong Baosen was startled and said, "That's an entire regiment. They must have suffered a lot of casualties, right?"
"It's basically broken. I need to rest for a while."
Gong Baosen sighed, "Ah... they're all great, great." After a moment's silence, Gong Baosen adjusted his mood and said, "No more, no more. Let's talk about something happy. Actually, you don't have to come this time. The Foshan Jingwu Association invited me to hold another retirement ceremony."
At this time, Gong Er came in with tea, poured tea for them, and sat down aside. Listening to the conversation between the two, there was no room for her and Ma San to interrupt.
She had known about Wang Yan since she was fifteen, but had never met him. Now, at twenty, she had finally gotten her wish and met this legendary man.
Wang Yan thanked him and said, "Master Gong, I'd like to take this opportunity to suggest that you move directly south. It's already difficult for you to move forward here, and with me as your ally, you're even more constrained. The situation is unclear right now, so it's not advisable to stay any longer."
"I know everything you said. Let's take another look."
Wang Yan did not try to persuade him any further. He knew that Gong Baosen was not a pedantic person and could figure it out on his own.
Afterwards, the two chatted for a while and then left. Wang Yan was indeed tired and fell asleep again.
In another room in the mansion, Ma San left and the father and daughter started talking.
"Didn't you always ask to see him? Why don't you talk to him today?" Gong Baosen teased. He was very optimistic about Wang Yan. He had been thinking about this since 32 years ago when Wang Yan led his men north for the first time. But following Wang Yan was not safe. You never know when he might be killed. His wish was simple, that is, he wanted Gong Er to be safe and sound. It was a dilemma to choose between a suitable partner and a stable partner. It had been delayed until now, and the girl was already 20 years old.
Gong Er said embarrassedly: "Isn't he as majestic as the legend says?" Gong Er has been practicing martial arts since she was a child. She doesn't like red dresses but prefers weapons. But when it comes to this kind of thing, the little girl's shyness is inevitable.
Seeing his daughter like this, how could he not know what she was thinking? Gong Baosen sighed and said, "Have you thought it through?" Although he also hoped that Gong Er would make this choice, he still couldn't help but worry.
"I've made up my mind." Gong Er had met the son of a family friend that Gong Baosen had arranged for her, and compared to him, she liked Wang Yan more. No matter what, she had to get married. She definitely couldn't marry an ordinary person. Whether Gong Baosen would do it or not was not a question, and whether she would even be attracted to an ordinary person was also a question. Now, having met someone she found good and who she admired was enough.
The next day, Wang Yan woke up full of energy, washed up, dressed up, and ate the breakfast that Gong Er brought over. During the process, Gong Er looked at him with a strange look, but Wang Yan didn't care, just thinking that the little girl was curious.
After dinner, Wang Yan took a few quick walks around the house. He was ready to leave for the day, as he still had a lot of things to do.
Gong Baosen came over after dinner and was stunned when he saw Wang Yan's appearance: "Leaving today?"
Wang Yan nodded and said, "There are quite a lot of things going on. The losses are too great. We estimate that we will arrive in Foshan at about the same time."
"I won't waste your time, I'll just tell you straight away. What do you think of Gong Er? Is she a good match for you?" Gong Baosen also knew Wang Yan's situation, so he didn't beat around the bush.
Wang Yan pondered and said, "Master Gong means..." Although Gong Er looked at him with a strange look before, it turned out to be because of this.
Gong Baosen said: "That's right, what do you think?"
He had taken it down without him having to make a move, so what could Wang Yan say? He immediately bowed and said, "Junior respectfully obeys your command."
Gong Baosen nodded in satisfaction: "I have chosen the wedding date, it will be on the tenth day of August next year. I only have this one girl, you must live well, boy."
Wang Yan nodded affirmatively: "Master Gong, don't worry, I know what's going on. As for the matter of heading south..."
"There's no rush. Let's talk about it later. Go ahead."
Nodding helplessly, Wang Yan bowed and said goodbye: "Junior, take your leave."
When he came out, he saw Gong Er absentmindedly rubbing the ground with her feet. Wang Yan stepped forward and said, "I'm leaving now. See you in Foshan."
Gong Er nodded and said, "Okay, be careful." Then she stopped Wang Yan who was about to leave and said, "Wait, my name is Ruomei."
Wang Yan turned around and repeated, "Ruomei, I understand." The two looked at each other for a moment, and then Wang Yan left.
Gong Er did not go to see him off, but just watched Wang Yan's back disappear around the corner.
Gong Baosen looked at Gong Er who was motionless for a long time inside with a smile on his face. It was really nice.
Go north in late spring and return in the hottest time of the year.
After returning to Foshan, Wang Yan packed up and asked someone to inform Zhou Qingquan to go to Ip Man's house for dinner.
After dinner, Wang Yan asked, "Are all the supplies ready?"
"Everything has been prepared long ago and hidden according to your instructions." Zhou Qingquan nodded and continued to ask: "Why do you need so much this time? What happened?"
"The team has been crippled. We need more manpower."
Ip Man was surprised and said, "He was beaten to a pulp?" He knew the fighting strength of that team. Four or five people could kill him.
"Yes." Wang Yan nodded, and then told the two of them what happened.
The two sighed after hearing this. It sounded scary to them. They were almost killed several times. It was so thrilling.
Wang Yan didn't say anything more and changed the topic so that everyone could talk about family matters.
Ye Wen took a puff of his cigarette and said, "By the way, Ah Yan, the Jingwu Association told me that they invited Mr. Gong to hold a retirement ceremony. It's the day after tomorrow, did you know?"
Wang Yan said, "Of course I know. I was there when Master Gong was in Fengtian."
Ip Man nodded and said, "That's good." Ip Man was also afraid that Wang Yan didn't know that Gong Baosen was coming and would be impolite.
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