I recently acquired a new (old) novel, Rusty Sword, Scrawny Horse《銹劍瘦馬》by Gao Yong. Here’s a look at the first couple chapters.
Liang Chengyan (Lyahng Chung-yen, 梁承彥)1 is living with his wife and young daughter on a secluded cliff, having retired from the jianghu (jyahng-hoo, 江湖]). He has just returned home and is waiting for his junior brother,2 Tang Baizhou (Tahng B{eye}-joe, 唐百州), who is scheduled to make a rare visit. The two of them are fellow disciples of the Spirit Snake Swordplay 靈蛇劍法. Their master gave them each one half of the sword manual before he passed away.
But while he is waiting for his junior bro to arrive, two strangers show up instead: Diao Tianyi (Dyow Tyen-ee, 刁天義) and Diao Shuxian (Dyow Shoo-shyen, 刁淑嫺) of Diao Family Village, a famous sword school. They have come for the Spirit Snake Swordplay manual. A fight ensues, and just as Liang Chengyan is wounded, Tang Baizhou arrives and fends off the attackers, who flee. But the real danger is still close at hand.
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