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Old Madam Shang exhaled,“Alright, I’ll let you live. But of today’s match, not a word shall leak out.” Yan Ji was elated, and thanked her profusely. Old Madam Shang said: “Go!” Yan Ji, wearing a smile, kowtowed twice, crawled up, and leaning on the ground with his blade, took slow shambling steps away. Old Madam Shang shouted fiercely: “Halt! Before we battled, we agreed that if you lose, you shall leave your head behind at Shang Manor. You did not keep your promise, so should I be such a useless fool?”
Yan Ji jumped in shock, and turns around to face the frosty countenance of Old Madam Shang, who doesn’t seem to be joking, and pleaded: “You...... You, weren’t you sparing me?” Old Madam Shang replied: “I’m sparing your life, but not your head.” as she said this, the Ba Gua saber suddenly flashed, “Shang Jien Ming’s Ba Gua saber, once unleashed it will not return empty-handed, come!” With a thud, Yan Ji fell to his knees. The Old Madam Shang attack was quick, her left hand fisted over his braid, while her right flashed forward with the blade in hand, and the braid was cut off in a blink of an eye, shouting: “This braid will stay here at Shang Manor, you shall shave your head and become a monk from now on, and never again mingle among the underworld (gangster society)!” Yan Ji only nodded dumbly in agreement. Old Madam Shang said: “You will bind up your leg wound, put on your hat, address your underlings in the main hall, and take them away with you when you leave Shang Manor.”
Meanwhile, back in the main hall everyone was exchanging glances with one another, not knowing what was the two of them talking about in the other hall, and after waiting for half an hour, they were met with the sight of Old Madam Shang walking shakily into sight. Yan Ji follows closely behind, walking sluggishly out, and saying: “Brothers, we shall abandon the silver and gold, everyone will return to the lair.”
As soon as these words left his lips, an astonished silence met filled the hall. The second in command began: “Eldest brother......” But Yan Ji cut him off: “We’ll return to the stronghold first.” and with a wave of his hand he motioned them to depart. He did not dare to reveal his wounded leg; but he persevered however, and exited with clenched teeth. None of the bandits dare to oppose their leader’s decision, but after giving malicious looks to the crates of silver ingots that were already in their hands, and turning, they left. In a few short moments, all of the bandits had already departed cleanly from the vicinity.
Even though Ma Xing Kong was experienced, he failed to deduce the exact reason, only to see that wherever Yan Ji treads, he’ll leave behind drops of blood, and guessed that he was wounded in the reception hall, and thought that Shang Manor may hold within its confines a powerful fighter, but how could he have guessed that the doddering old lady in front of him had just went through a life and death battle with him? Ma Xing Kong, holding his daughter’s shoulder was about to stand up to express his thanks, when Old Madam Shang said: “Zhen-er, come in with me!” Ma Xing Kong was mildly surprised, however, to see that the mother and son walk into the hall.
Meanwhile, outside all the escorts and the three officials were pondering how did she pull this off, some speculated that the Old Madam had once done a great favor to the outlaw leader and he was compelled to leave the matter as it was: others thought that she has pulled out her silver tongue and managed to convince him that being enemies of politically powerful government officials is a bad idea. While everyone was blindly guessing this and that, Shang Bao Zhen came out, and said: “My mother has invited Master Ma into the hall for some tea.”
In the hall they conversed, Old Madam Shang tried to convince Ma Xing Kong to stay at Shang Manor to recuperate from his injuries, and at the same time to send someone to the nearest escort companies to hire some help and escort the carts of silver ingots to Jinling. After this fiasco, Ma Xing Kong’s great enthusiasm all but disappeared. The “Hundred Sure Wins Godly Fist” title had rang for decades, and now, he has met his defeat by the hands of a common hoodlum, and his heart had soured at the prospect of continuing his escort works. Old Madam Shang had protected the cargo with no loss in fortune, her benevolence is too heavy, thus he did not dare to refuse her offer, aside from another thing that is tugging his heart; he wanted to see the martial arts master that has defeated Yan Ji. He thanked Old Madam Shang’s good intention, and complied.
Late that evening, when the heavy rain has stopped, the three officials after expressing their thanks to the Old Madam Shang, was sent to the gate by Shang Bao Zhen.
The one-armed man was next, with the bedraggled boy in hand came to impart their farewell as well, Old Madam Shang looked at the boy, having remembered him as the one to have angrily rebuke Madame Miao with such a self righteous look upon his face, and pondered: “this small child is so young, yet he has such amazing courage.” Thereupon she asked: “Where are you going next? Have you enough money with you on the road?” The one-armed answered: “My nephew and I has been wondering the Jianghu for a very long time, anywhere that we goes beneath the skies are our home, as of yet we have not yet determined our next destination.” Old Madam Shang carefully sized up the child, thought for a moment, and said: “Well, If you don’t mind, you can work here for me. The Shang Manor is huge, and we have no problem feeding two extra mouths.” The one-armed man, who has a plan, was overjoyed at hearing this, and quickly rushed forward to thank her. Old Madam Shang inquired their name, the one-armed man was named Ping Xi, while the child that is his nephew, was called Ping Fei.
Late that night, both uncle and nephew were sent by the steward to their new residence, which was a small hut located near the west wing. Once both of them were inside they shut the door and all the windows, a happy expression lit up the ugly face of the one-handed man, and in a low voice he said: “Young master, you are truly blessed by your late parents, that the martial arts scroll should fall back into your hands, truly, the heaven have fated it so.” But Ping Fei said: “Ping Xi, you should ceased calling me young master, should we be careless that others may overhear us, and they would be suspicious of us.” Ping Xi made only sounds of agreements, and from the folds of his robes he pulled out a packet wrapped in oil paper, and handed it reverently to Ping Fei. He wasn’t actually respectful to the child in front of him, but he was thinking of the benefactors that passed the two page of martial arts manual to them.
Ping Fei asked: “Ping Xi, what exactly did you tell Yan Ji, that he willingly handed over the manual?” Ping Xi, however, replied: “I said to him: ‘You stole the manual? Master Miao ordered you to return it!’ And then most amazingly, Hero Miao does appear on the scene at that very moment, Yan Ji, seeing this dare not to withhold it any longer.” Ping Fei hesitates for a moment, and asked: “Why is the manual in his possession? Why do you told me to memorize his face? Why did he fear Hero Miao?”
Ping Xi does not answer, his face was even more pulled up in an angry grimace, and his eyes gleamed with suppressed tears, ready to be shed at a moments notice. Ping Fei continued: “I will not ask further, uncle. You wanted to wait for me to grow up, and after I have learned the necessary martial arts skill, then you will tell me. I’ll learn well.”
And thereupon uncle and nephew have settled down in Shang Manor. Ping Xi works at the vegetable garden carting fertilizers for the vegetables, while Ping Fei swipe the floor of the training halls of the Shang Manor and polished their spears.
Ma Xing Kong, on the other hand, rested and healed at the Shang Manor, occasionally chatting with his daughter, his disciple, or Shang Bao Zhen about martial arts. Once in a while, when he was practicing martial arts, Ping Fei would occasionally look on for a while, but never too long.
They knew this thin and fragile child was very courageous, but they did no know that he actually knew martial arts, therefore when the child observed them for brief whiles, whether it is the highly experienced Ma Xing Kong, or the bright and clever Shang Bao Zhen, not once did they suspected him of scrutinizing the intricacies of martial arts.
But he is not trying to steal their arts. Whatever he was thinking of, people of the like of Ma Xing Kong could not even fathom. Because after each time he examined their moves and contents of discussion, he could not but thought that, “What is so great about that? Those moves can only subdue commoners, but not a true hero.”
Because he is actualy is not surnamed Ping, but is surname Hu, his name is not is even Ping Fei but is Hu Fei: Because he is Hu Yi Dao’s son, the same one that has battled Miao Renfeng for five days and five nights without a winner; His father has passed down a martial arts manual, one that contains the martial arts and the saber style of the Hu family.
This manual has been missing the first two pages, which is the most important of all pages on the fact that it introduces the foundation of the Hu style, and lacking the basic foundation, no matter how hard smart he was and studied and practiced he would not get a clear grasp of it at all. But with this fortunate turn of events, the said first two pages of the manual was recovered, and now having a firm grasp on the basics he advanced so much in a short space of time it was as if it was a thousand lis a day.
Yan Ji only learned a dozen or so moves from the two pages of the manual, and yet he had shocked the martial arts world, and even defeated the Hundred Sure Wins Godly Fist Master Ma. If Hu Fei had learned the entire manual, how much stronger can he be?
Certainly, he was young and doesn’t really have that much raw skill or power yet, not to mention some minor details that he had missed over in his training. But with this manual in hand, his development had advanced to the point that one day of training for him had already equaled one month of training for Xu Zhen. Even if he (Xu Zhen) practiced for ten or twenty years, he would still be unable to compare with the Hu style martial arts and saber skill.
Every night in, he would quietly slip out of the manor and into the forest to practice his saber skill. He would use just a wooden saber, and with every swing and slash of his wooden blade, he would imagine braining his would be nemesis, the murderer of his father, even though he did not know who it is. But Ping Xi had promised him, that as soon as he had completely mastered the Hu saber style he would tell him.
And so, he was driven to push himself harder, striving to achieve nothing less than perfection. This is because the best martial arts are learned with the mind and not the body.
After seven or eight months, Ma Xing Kong has completely healed, but Old Madam Shang and Shang Bao Zhen insisted on extending their hospitality longer. Ma Xing Kong’s escort guards have rested well, but seeing their host’s insistence, they proceeded to further their stays.
Shang Bao Zhen then bowed to Ma Xing Kong, because Old Madam Shang has a touch of arrogance, having her own familial martial arts style, the Ba Gua saber, how could she go around bowing to masters of other styles? But the Ma Xing Kong was indebted to Shang’s, and he unofficially took under his wing Shang Bao Zhen as a disciple of sorts, if young Shang was inclined to ask for pointers in respect of martial arts, Ma Xing Kong would almost certainly give it. ‘Hundred Sure Wins Godly Fists’ was a rare fortune, a unique skill in its own rights to learn, so for seven or eight months, Shang Bao Zhen has profited a great deal.
Thanks Dude!
keep them coming :D
Yan Ji should have been killed right there.
That is what I first thought too, but the story did not run that way.....
Yeah too bad... :(Quote:
Originally Posted by Encaitar
alright! another great novel is translated. anxiously awaiting further updates. Thanks a million.
This translation has been standing still for too long. Since I have now finished my
STPM exam, I will be taking over the translations again from Alasnuyo. Below are
some of the bits that I have managed to edit from his draft. I'll probably finish editing the rest of the draft sometime later this month. From then on, I'll be the
one translating and editing. I hope the readers can bear with the inconsistencies in our styles. Thank you.(Plus many thanks to Alasnuyo for helping me with all this.)
Ma Xing Kong had then concluded that the Shang Manor harboured no martial arts artist of any significant skill, only is that whatever made Yan Ji leave in a hurry, is must be of some great importance. At some point he had accidentally blurted out a reference to that matter, but Old Madam Shang only smiled faintly, and smoothly guided their conversation to another topic. Ma Xing Kong, sensing that the landlady is not willing to reveal anything, prodded no further.
Now, Ma Xing Kong was old and slightly anemic, and not a heavy sleeper. Therefore, it does not come as a surprise that one day, sometime after midnight; he was awoken by an audible snap outside, the sound of someone stepping on a twig. By the virtue of his vast experience in the world of Jiang Hu, he knew the instant somebody crosses the outside his room by that sound alone, but it happened only once, and did not repeat itself again, and he cannot guess if the person is on the east or the west or hiding by the outer bailey wall. Even though he was only sojourning in Shang Manor, he owed the landlady a debt, and with the added cordial hospitality, he looked upon the Shang Manor’s safety even more heavier than his own family home, and so, with this in mind, he quietly crawls out of bed, and from under his pillow he took out the gold-lined whip which he wrapped around his waist, slowly opened his door and jumped lightly onto the rafter of the outer wall, where he caught sight of a silhouette of someone running towards the direction of the mountains.
Seeing this, his heart grew doubtful: “Is it possible that Yan Ji hasn’t gave up yet, and has now returned for more mischief? It is I who have cause this, how could I stand aside idly doing nothing?” He leapt outside the wall and gathering speed in his feet, quickly gave chase, but after a dozen yard or so he lost sight of the silhouette. He thought: “This isn’t good; it’s as if he’s trying to lure the tiger out of the mountain.” He then hurried back to the Shang Manor, and hearing no one, he felt relieved, but doubt nagged at his heart: “This person’s skill is uncommon. But the person appears to be is thin and small, completely unlike Yan Ji who is entirely different, has a skilled person from Jiang Hu finally arrived here?”
He holds the whip in his hand, and fiddled with it for a moment or so, before straightened up, and ran alongside the back of the Shang Manor. After running a dozen or two meters to near the end of the manor, he suddenly heard the unmistakable swishing sound of bladed weapons. Ma Xing Kong thought darkly: “Has someone ambushed us when we were not looking?” foot one, personal appearance. ‘Hundred Sure Wins Godly Fists’ Ma Xing Kong is old, but he is still very skilled, and with the left hand he grabs the rafter of the bailey wall, and hauls himself up, and over to the other side of the wall where he pinpointed the sound as originating from the far west end of the manor, specifically from a stone hut in the corner. But strangely, even with two people fighting constantly, there was not a single cry whatsoever, even as the blades clash against one another. Feeling something strange going on, he decided not to barge in immediately to help whoever it was that needed it, instead he peeped through a crack in the window, and had to immediately suppress a gasp.
The room was completely bare of everything, except for the table on which an oil lamp burns with a bean sized flame, and two persons, with a bronze broadsword in hand each, fighting each other, locked in a deadly dance. It was an old lady and a young man, or rather an old mother and her son sparring.
Why don't y'all read this while waiting for the more translations. Feel free to give comments. Updates for this translation will be coming in a few more days.
He only looked on for a moment, and had only breathed a sigh of relief, when he noticed that the old woman was fighting with an above average vigour, her saber skill exquisite, and her stance firm and solid even as she traded blows with her son who is attacking fiercely. Not only did old Madam Shang not reveal her true nature, but her son is also hiding the true level of his marital arts. All he taught to Shang Bao Zhen is just the ordinary bare handed martial arts, and had certainly not touched upon the aspects of weapon skills, like the saber. Neither did Shang Bao Zhen, but who would have thought that his mastery of the saber is well beyond average? He quietly stood there, remembering that he once fought with Shang Bao Zhen’s father, Shang Jian Ming on the Gan Liang road 15 years ago. Shang Jian Ming had dealt him a near fatal blow with his infamous broadsword, followed by a deadly palm strike, a wound that he took nearly three years to heal from, and even longer before he can even properly walk. He himself knew that the level between him and Shang Jian Ming is wide, and revenge is thus hard to achieve. That is why he had avoided the Gan Liang road ever since. Shang Jian Ming has since died, so Old Madam Shang is thus indebted to him. The small strifes of yesterday he did not keep in mind, but who would have known that this night, the descendants of his enemy would still be seen using his very same martial arts.
He has some rather disquieting thoughts: “Old Madam Shang’s martial arts are certainly not above that of mine, but why did she not reveal it? She is keeping me and my daughter in the manor; does she have an ulterior motive?” He meditated on the subject for a moment, before looking back at the pair, only to found out that the moves of mother and child had changed, respectively using the swimming moves of Ba Gua, floating lightly all around the room. Saber slashes are complemented by palm strikes, and palm strikes are complemented by saber slashes. Their attacks gained in speed and momentum, before they stopped at the 64th move. The two of them leaped back, before reversing their sabers and saluted each other with respect. The sabers were lowered. The Old Madam Shang was cast in a greenish pallor under the lamplight color while Shang Bao Zhen on the other hand, looked winded, and was gasping for breath.
Old Madam Shang said unsmilingly: “Your breath is uneven, your development is too slow, when can you even avenge can your father’s big enmity?” Ma Xing Kong’s heart gave a big thump, even as he saw Shang Bao Zhen’s downcast face, the very picture of dejected shame. Old Madam Shang continued, “Even though you haven’t seen Miao Renfeng’s martial art skill, his tremendous strength is apparent by the way he pulled the cart alone. Hu Yi Dao’s saber skill is definitely not under Miao Renfeng’s. Miao Ren Feng and Hu Yi Dao, those thugs, are highly skilled in martial arts, at this moment you cannot even scratch them in their worst days. But so long as you train hard, you will inevitably increase your skill, whilst the two thugs would succumb more to old age. When that time comes you’ll be strong enough you can tear them to 10000 shreds with your saber.” Ma Xing Kong thought, “Mother and child had been training in isolation for too long already, and they did not know that Hu Yi Dao had been dead for more than 10 years.” Old Madam Shang then sighed slowly, said: “Oh, child, look at you. That Miss Ma had entranced you so deeply that you can’t even differentiate between gods and ghosts. Even your training is unfocused.”
Ma Xing Kong was startled: “Could it be that my daughter has been fated to be with him?” But he saw Shang Bao Zhen (blushing furiously) retorted: “Mother, I saw that Miss Ma is well-mannered, not even daring to exchange more than a few words when addressed.” Old Madam Shang humphed, the said: “Whose milk do you grow up on? What idea in your heart has, that I do not understand? It is clear that you fancy that Ma girl, who isn’t too bad, her personality and martial arts are of my satisfaction.” Shang Bao Zhen, hearing this, was overjoyed, and cried out affectionately: “Oh, Mother!” The Old Madam Shang raised her left hand one, sinking her voice low she said: “Do you know who her father is?” Shang Bao Zhen was surprised and said: “It is not Escort Master Ma?” Old Madam Shang continued: “Who said he is not? But do you know how is Master Ma related to our family?” Shang Bao Zhen shook his head. Old Madam Shang said: “Child, he is your father’s major personal enemy.” Shang Bao Zhen did not anticipate it, and cannot help but ah’ed.
Ma Xing Kong, on the other hand, was unable to restrain himself from shaking. However, he could only but force himself to listen further to Old Madam Shang, who continued undisturbed: “15 years ago, your father fought on Gan Liang Street with Ma Xing Kong. Your father was a world famous hero, how could Mr. Ma be of match? Your father has slashed him with his saber, and struck him with his palm, and injured him greviously. But that Ma isn’t mediocre either, and your father has also received some internal injury. He went home, but before his wounds were healed, our nemesis Hu Yi Dao came late at night to our door, and killed your father. If your father had not fought with that Ma person and got himself injured beforehand, heh heh, how can that Hu Yi Dao even harm your father with the level of martial arts that your father has?”
She was practically growling at the last few words, and with her throat hoarse, it was extremely fearsome to hear.
Ma Xing Kong who in life had endured the many hardships that life had thrown at him, at this moment cannot but gave a cold shiver, thought that, “That Hu Yi Dao is insanely powerful, even if his (Shang Jian Ming) body is not wounded, he cannot escape death either. The old widow is apparently still grieving over the death of her late husband, and throws the blame at me.”
She continued, “But as Fortune has it, Ma Xing Kong has fallen within reach of our family in a timely manner. Your father constructed Shang Manor with his own hands, how could we let common thieves plunder a cart in its vicinity? But do you know what do I plan to do with Miss Ma?” Shang Bao Zhen made an odd rasping sound and said: “...... You...... You want me to avenge father?” Old Madam Shang said harshly: “You are not willing, are you? You have taken a liking for that Miss Ma, is it not?”
Shang Bao Zhen seeing his mother’s eye burning in anger, backed a few steps, and did not dare to reply.
Old Madam Shang laughed coldly: “Very good. Within several days later you will propose to that Miss Ma, and with a family background like ours, he would find it hard to refuse.”
These several words shocked Ma Xing Kong and Shang Bao Zhen, having not anticipated this at all. Ma Xing Kong, with his eye still glued to the crack in partition window, saw that Old Madam Shang’s face has contorted in anger, deformed looking in her hate, and can’t help but be overcame with goose bumps, his blood turning cold at the thought of her venomous cunning: “That old crone is vicious indeed! Was I not enough to sate her anger that now she must have my daughter within her clutches as well, torturing her until she’s better off dead than alive? Heaven really is merciful on me, that I was led here by chance tonight to the partition window to hear the mother and child, otherwise...... What cruel fate will befall my child......? “
Shang Bao Zhen is young and naïve, and did not understand at all his mother’s profound meaning, only that he is happy but at the same time also feeling odd, because his mother is letting him marry the woman of his choice, something that he never thought would happen, and thus he is nine part elated, and one part suspicious.
Ma Xing Kong however feared that should he listened longer to the conversation between the Shangs, he would be discovered, and holding his breath, he quietly walked away, and returned to his room to wipe away his cold sweat, when a sudden thought hit him: “Then who is that thin and small figure that rushed to the mountainside?”
During the afternoon of the next day, Ma Xing Kong had put on his long robe, and told Shang Bao Zhen to invite his mother over, saying that there are things that needed discussion. Shang Bao Zhen is pleasantly surprised near happy by this turn of event, and thought that, “Has mother raised the issue of the proposal with him?” But looking at his countenance, he shows nothing that may be different from usual. So he invited the mother to the living room, and sat down with Ma Xing Kong, with himself as accompany. He glance at his mother, then at Ma Xing Kong, his heart thumping heavily. But all that he heard from Master Ma was just a few words of thanks to the Old Madam Shang for protecting his escorted goods and for her hospitality in letting his escorts stay. Old Madam Shang gave some humble responses, and Shang Bao Zhen really hoped that they could quickly arrive at the main topic. But after several rounds of small talk, they still haven’t said anything significant.
After a while the Ma Xing Kong then said, “My daughter is no longer that young, I want to discuss a matter with Madam Shang.” Shang Bao Zhen’s heart almost leapt out of his chest at this. Old Madam Shang on the other hand, found this too strange, and thought: “Rarely does the bride’s family be the first one to propose.” and said: “Master Ma, say what is on your mind, there is no need to be hesitant.” Ma Xing Kong said: “Other than my daughter, I have an apprentice as well. Though he is naïve and simpleminded, short-tempered and headstrong, but I had thought of him as my son since he was young. He is also very close to my daughter; I wanted you to be the matchmaker to their engagement.”
The more Shang Bao Zhen listened, the angrier he got, until up to a point where he cannot control himself anymore and stood up. Old Madam Shang is raging inside: “That old bastard, it must have been my useless son’s loose mouth that has revealed my plan, and ruined it!” Quickly putting on a fake smile, she congratulates him for the good news, even though she was burning up inside, and prompted her son to do the same: “Child, congratulate your old Uncle Ma!” Shang Bao Zhen however was both shocked and confused at the same time, and acting as a dazed person might, he fled from the room immediately.
Ma Xing Kong continued to converse politely with Old Madam Shang for a little while more, only then did he return to his room. There, he called his daughter and his apprentice, and said, “Today I want to have you two engaged”. Xu Zhen looked like he was brimming with happiness, and his face split into a very wide grin, while Ma Chun Hua, on the other hand, just blushed and turned her head away, not speaking. Ma Xing Kong said: “We hereby set the engagement first. As for the matter of the ceremony, that shall commence when we got home.” He knows that his daughter and his apprentice can’t keep a secret for long, so later that night; so he spoke not a word concerning what really happened at the Manor.
Ma Chun Hua was a demure and willful girl, enchanting and captivating at the same time. She has been living in the Shang Manor for eight months, of course Shang Bao Zhen would met with her daily, and of course its inevitable that he would develop a crush to her, his feeling firmly tied on the girl and no one else. He had only just got an approval from his mother to propose to her. He had not expected this to happen, and he was in cloud nine, but to suddenly hearing the line was like hearing thunderclaps on a cloudless days. He was slumped on his seat in his room, looking out of the window, a dull look in his eyes as his gaze wandered over to the apricot tree in the courtyard, still having a hard time believing he had just heard those words coming from Ma Xing Kong’s mouth unexpectedly amongst idle talk.
It is as if he had lost his soul, he did not notice how much time had passed, until a male servant walked into the room, and called to him: “Young master, it is way past the time for you to practice martial arts; Old Madam has waited for you nearly half the day.” Shang Bao Zhen for a moment was startled, cried out: “My goodness, in my confusion I’ve missed my training period, mother would certainly scold me for this.” He grabbed his weapons from rack by the wall, and rushed to the training hall. There, he saw Old Madam Shang sitting in a chair, looking as if nothing was amiss in the world, and she said: “Today you will train on how to attack your opponents meridians and pressure points from behind.” Turning her head around to the male servant who was holding a wooden sign she calls out: “Hold the sign firmly in your hands, and while you’re at it run around!” Shang Bao Zhen was felling odd: “With Master Ma’s words, why did mother not have a care about it?” But Old Madam Shang usually taught her son harshly, and won’t allow half hearted moves and slacks, and even if there is a slight mistake, she will hit and scold him as a punishment. Shang Bao Zhen took a firm hold of the darts in his hand, and did not dare to think distractively. He concentrated only on listening to the pressure points called out by his mother with rapt attention.
He heard Old Madam Shang call: “Miao Renfeng, life gate, ceramic road!” Shang Bao Zhen’s right hand flashed out, 2 darts embedding dead center on two of the pressure points on the wooden sign of a human back. Old Madam Shang called again: “Hu Yi Dao, major spine, sun’s pass!” Shang Bao Zhen’s left hand blurred into motion, and identifying the proper acupuncture points, threw out. “Deng, deng”, and the two points were hit. But the one of the darts were slightly off mark. “Eh?” and only then did he notice that something was wrong with the sign. The name “Hu Yi Dao”, inscribed with three black characters, were gone. He called the servant holding the sign to him, and saw at close proximity that the three characters have been scraped off by someone with a knife, and was replaced with curving scripts bored with a sharp point, the name Shang Jian Ming. The darts sent out did not hit an enemy; it hit his own father instead. Shang Bao Zhen fumed with anger, with the back of his palm, lashed out and took out two of the servant’s teeth, and kicked him down.
Old Madam Shang calls out: “Wait a minute!” She thought that this servant had served here ever since he was a child, and so he could not have been the one to do this. So an outsider must have been the one to do this. It would be obvious that the culprit is either Ma Xing Kong person or his family members, and so she said: “Invite Mr Ma here for a chat.” Shang Bao Zhen was very cautious person, but after his wedding crash, he was frustrated, and was irrationally rash today. When he heard what his mother said, understanding hit him, and quickly the servant was pulled up, and said: “I wrongly abused you, please forgive my wrongdoings.” He proceeded to remove his golden dart from the arms of the human target board. But Old Madam Shang halted his hand, and said: “Wait a minute! If he is gloating over us, then let him gloat.” Then she ordered the servant to take out the purple golden Ba Gua saber from the altar of her husband in the main hall.
When Ma Xing Kong and company walked into the training hall, they were met with funny looks on everybody’s faces. Ma Xing Kong suddenly felt nervous: “That sly old crone, she had already planned to turn against me.” Regardless, clasping his hand in a gesture of greeting, he said: “Old Madam Shang, what matter is it that you seek of me?” Old Madam Shang sneered: “My late husband may have already passed away, and even though in the past my husband has been an enemy of yours, you do not need take out your anger on a dead man.” However Ma Xing Kong was confused, and replied her with a smile: “Ah, I’m afraid I do not understand, would you care to enlighten me?” Old Madam Shang gestured to the symbols on the wooden sign figure, and said: “Master Ma is an honorable man, and definitely would not sink to such lowliness, it is either your daughter, or, is it your outstanding disciple’s hand that committed this heinous act?” At this point her eyes flashed dangerously, raking upon this family of three. Ma Chun Hua, who never saw her in such a hostile mood, was startled.
Interesting turn of events!
Keep them coming!
I just want to mention my appreciation to the translators of this story.
THANKS. :D
Ma Xin Kong stared oddly at the altered names on the wooden boards, “though both my daughter and disciple are both foolish in nature, they certainly would not dare to commit such atrocities.” Madam Shang then retorted, “So, Master Ma thinks that this is the sorry work of the people of Shang Manor?” Ma Xin Kong, at that moment, suddenly remembered the small and skinny figure that appeared the night before, and he replied, “I fear that this might be the work of outsiders that had breached into this manor. This is most likely to be the case, as last night I happened to…” before he was cut off by Madam Shang, “so you happened to think that this is the work of the dog descendants of Hu Yi Dao?”
As soon as this sentence was uttered, a loud voice answered from the outside of this circle of people, “you dared not to face him, and instead you put his name up on a dart board and used it for target practice. This is by far one of the most despicable of acts, done in the shadows.”
Madam Shang, who sat on a chair, surrounded entirely by her people, can’t see the person who said these words. But she noticed that the said person had a small and sharp voice. She then called out, “Who is it, declare yourself!” At the next moment, two of her servants were parted away by force, and a skinny youth stepped up. It was Hu Fei.
This was stranger than strange, and everyone thought that this was an unexpected turn of event. Unperturbed, Madam Shang lowered her voice and said, “Ah Fei, so it is you.” Ah Fei nodded, “Very true, this is all my doing. Master Ma and his people know nothing about it.”
Madam Shang then asked, “For what reason must you do this?” And for which he answered, “I cannot put this dishonorable thing pass my eye. If you are truly heroic and chivalrous, you would not do such a thing.” After hearing him out, Madam Shang nodded, “What you said is correct, and what nerve you have. Come closer, I want to have a good look at you.” As she said this, she extended her hands out.
Hu Fei had not anticipated that she would take this so calmly. So he went closer. Madam Shang held onto his hands, murmuring, “Good child, a truly good child you are.” Suddenly, her hands flipped, and gripped onto Hu Fei’s wrists, locking his ‘ancestral gathering’ point on his right hand and the ‘outer pass’ point on his left hand.
The flip of her hands were like a flicker of flint sparks, and Hu Fei had not put up a guard against it. His body immediately felt sore and numb all over. With the current level of his martial arts, how could Madam Shang manage to catch him? But yet, he had no battle experience beforehand, and knew not the guiles and deceptions of wicked and cunning enemies. Now that his hands were locked, no matter how strong his martial arts are, he could not use even a bit of it. Madam Shang was afraid that he would struggle, so she proceeded to kick his ‘bridge gate’ point and ordered her servants to tie his hands and feet together at the back with iron chains, and hung him up in the middle of the training hall.
Shang Bao Zhen then took up a rawhide thong, and flogged wildly at his head and face. But Hu Fei just took up all of it with closed eyes and remained silent. Shang Bao Zhen asked him repeatedly, “Who sent you, spy?” and whipped his after each unanswered question. He had also ordered the servants to watch over Ping Ah Xi, and to prevent his escape. His fury and disappointment caused by the recent incidents seemed to be vented on Hu Fei.
Ma Chun Hua and Xu Zhen were filled with pity when they saw Hu Fei beaten up and bloodied. They wanted to intervene, but Ma Xin Kong prevented them from doing so.
Shang Bao Zhen, by approximation, must have flogged him for about three hundred times, but he had failed to get any answers regarding on who had sent him. He was frustrated at this, but he was aware that if he was to beat the child any more, the boy would surely die. Disappointed, he threw down his thong and shouted, “little thief, you were sent by Hu Yi Dao, aren’t you?” Hu Fei just laughed when he heard this. He was covered in blood all over, but to be able to truly laugh without effort or pretension in this state is surely a wonder to the people present. When Shang Bao Zhen heard his laugh, he was even more angered and took up the thong once again, and was prepared to strike him once more. Ma Chun Hua could not bear to watch this any more, and she cried out, “Don’t hit him anymore!” Shang Bao Zhen’s thong stayed in mid air, and looking up at her, Shang Bao Zhen slowly lowered the thong to his side.
Hu Fei swore to himself every time the thong landed on his body, and blamed himself on his own stupidity and lack of guard, which resulted in him being captured by enemies. He was flogged until his skin broke up in several places, and the intense pain from the wounds nearly caused him to pass out. Suddenly, he heard Ma Chun Hua’s four words “Don’t hit him anymore!” He opened his eyes, and saw Ma Chun Hua looking at him with a mixture of pity and concern in her eyes, and he was grateful of that.
Madam Shang knew that his son was smitten by this girl, but when she saw that he stopped his hands by only the words of someone else’s daughter, she was incensed, but she did not do anything other than to utter a ‘humph’. Ma Xin Kong then spoke up, “Madam Shang, you better beat him up good, and get to them bottom of this as fast as possible. Chun Er, Zhen Er, I think we better go now.” He then took his leave, and walked out with his daughter and disciple.
(Sorry for the lack of updates, but I'm slow because I lack a mediator that can read in chinese, since I'm translating straight from the original text and I can't read in Chinese. My original mediator had been too busy to be able to help me make consistent updates.)
thanks for the update
Thank you!
and about pace of translation, you can do it at your leisure as long as it keeps coming. we will wait. :D
Thank you for the effort.Quote:
Originally Posted by Encaitar
I understand how difficult it is when you can't read the original text. I remembered that i need to treat my friends drinks when translating part of Chapter 39 of DGSD, and even then, it takes forever to persuade them to even spend 15 min to help read out a few paragraphs to me.
Han Solo
Thanks. I am liking the story so far. BTW does anyone know if the new flying fox series any good. Do they closely follow the novel?
Thanks for the support, people!
Single Whip: I'm not sure about the new series because I haven't watched it.
Thanx Encaitar, I'm glad a Sabahan doing a translating job on SPCNET. How is it Sandakan nowadays, is it still full with the philippines....Quote:
Originally Posted by Encaitar
You're welcome, and Sandakan is still full of Filipinos and Indons, more so than ever before. By the way, are you from Sandakan as well?
Single whip, the new series isn't too bad. I currently watching it now, though I can't comment on how close it follows the novel since I haven't read it before.Quote:
Originally Posted by Single Whip