A Knife and a Hairpin

"We should just kill them," repeated WangFan uneasily as Lao Lu struggled with the lock. "I tell you, that Young Master Qing just isn't right. I feel my flesh creeping still when I remember how he swallowed that fish whole."

"He's just a cocky boy, a little upstart white face," snapped Lao Lu. "He'll bleed the same as anyone in the end, don't worry."

SuanRong leaned against the wall, running his thumb along a short knife he had stuck in his belt. "I agree with Brother. There's nothing to be afraid of. We'll make them beg for mercy today, and see if you're still scared of him then. WangFan, you coward, man up. This is going to be fun."

WangFan fingered the bandage around his hand, glowering. "You shut up, SuanRong. I never said I was afraid. I just tell you, that kid isn't that simple to deal with."

"You shut up," growled Lao Lu. "Help me with this door, it's stuck."

"I want the old wretch, by the way," SuanRong added. "I want to cut his face open so he's reminded of what he did to mine. You can take the kid if you want."

WangFan heaved with his shoulder and the door yawned open grudgingly. Blinking in the sudden dimness, the Three Gambling Ghosts walked in, noses twitching at the dust in the air.

Lao Lu stopped short, so suddenly that SuanRong bumped into him form behind. "What," was all he said, shortly, as his eyes fell on the bare patches of squashed straw.

He never got further, as the doors slammed behind them. The Three Gambling Ghosts whirled round to saw Dao Ge and Qingqing spring at them from the shadows. The jade pin in Qingqing's fist flashed briefly before she stabbed WangFan with it.

SuanRong staggered back as the length of rope Dao Ge held stretched taunt between his hands choked him around the neck. He struck out wildly with the knife, slashing Dao Ge's arms, but the older man never flinched.

As WangFan hit heavily against the wall with an inarticulate gurgle, eyes round with horror, Qingqing let go of the jade pin as she felt Lao Lu tackle her from behind.

"Ah, you pervert," she panted as his hands met around her waist. Twisting around, they came face to face for a moment, and Lao Lu gasped involuntarily as he saw the bright, savage eyes boring into him, framed by the hair floating in the air like a black cloud. His own eyes widened as his hands detected her figure under the clothes.

"Gods, you're a woman," he breathed in disbelief.

Qingqing's teeth gleamed briefly in response and he felt her palm strike him squarely on the forehead, releasing a mind-numbing wave of pain that made his teeth rattle wildly in his skull.

"Rotten pervert wolf," she said scathingly as he crashed to the ground, dusting herself off in disgust, and added under her breath, "I shouldn't have wasted my precious energy on a worthless scum like you, but I couldn't resist."

She turned her attention to Dao Ge. SuanRong was on his knees, retching and choking, while the hand that held the knife waved about flaggingly. She wrested the knife from his hand easily, and Dao Ge gaped as he saw her prepare quite calmly to slice SuanRong's nose off.

Letting go of the rope, he let the man sink to the ground, spluttering weakly, and arrested her hand. "Qing Xiong! There's no need for that." he scolded, scandalized.

Deftly shifting the knife to her other hand, Qingqing snapped defensively, "Why not? He doesn't deserve a nose, much less an auspicious one. I think it would teach him a good lesson."

SuanRong uttered a hoarse yelp of terror as she held the blade out experimentally before his face.

With a groan, Dao Ge snatched the knife from her. "That's enough. Stop fooling around," he said sternly.

Qingqing held out a finger. There was a devilish expression in her smile. "Wait a minute. I owe our handsome gentleman here something." she said pleasantly.

SuanRong's eyes widened as she began to retch. Dao Ge made a horrified sound and groaned as Qingqing's shoulders heaved and she regurgitated the unfortunate fish whole, looking slimier and even viler than before.

"Oh gods," breathed Dao Ge.

Slightly out of breath, Qingqing wiped her mouth and picked the fish up delicately by the tail. "There. I said I would return it to you, didn't I? A gentleman always keeps his word. Not that a wretch like you could understand. Now, you're going to follow my good example and not be a fussy eater..."

SuanRong screamed wildly as she approached him, but Dao Ge's hand arrested her, dragging her back by her collar. "Enough. Qing Xiong, stop fooling around."

"I'm not," retorted Qingqing sulkily, but she grudgingly gave way. She satisfied herself by throwing the fish at SuanRong, who squirmed as it slapped his cheek and slid down soddenly.

Taking SuanRong's chin in his hand, Dao Ge demanded, "Where's my saber?"

"And my money!" shouted Qingqing wrathfully. "Ten pieces of silver, no less, you rotten robbers! You'd better hand it all back to me!"

"Please, Da ren," whimpered SuanRong. "Spare me. I'll tell you where it is. Your saber is wrapped up in a gunnysack behind the granary. As for Young Master Qing's money--" He gulped. "Lao Lu took it. We spent some on wine and the brothel last night. I don't know how much is left. Da ren, have mercy!"

Qingqing's lip curled. She fell to her knees beside Lao Lu and ransacked his body frantically, heedless of his groans. "Where's my money, you wretch? How dare you spend it on wine and women?"

Snatching the small purse, she shook it wildly and caught the four pieces of silver that fell out onto her palm.

She sank back on her heels in dismay. "Four! Four pieces left, only!" she exclaimed inconsolably.

"Please spare me, Da ren," wailed SuanRong.

Dao Ge threw the rope to the ground and got up, glancing at WangFan's body slumped against the wall. "Get out." he said curtly. "You'd better turn over a new leaf. Go and bury your brothers; best that you don't even dream of taking revenge for them. You all got what you deserved."

He tossed the knife aside and wiped at the blood streaming down the cuts on his arm.