The Deer and The Cauldron

[sablemagi]

I just reread the last post and was wondering if Wu Liuqi's name "Five Six Seven?" 五六七 hahahah

[athlonkmf]

I just reread the last post and was wondering if Wu Liuqi's name "Five Six Seven?" 五六七 hahahah

Ehm no, Wu=Ng in cantonese. Liu = six, qi = flags (if i recall correctly) making "no six flags" or better known as Disney.

[Ace High]

I just reread the last post and was wondering if Wu Liuqi's name "Five Six Seven?" 五六七 hahahah

Wu (吴/吳) = surname Wu; area comprising southern Jiangsu, northern Zhejiang and Shanghai; name of states in Southern China at different historical periods
Liu (六) = Six
Qi (奇) = strange; odd; weird; wonderful; surprisingly; unusually

[Anh Nam]

Thanks Foxs

[Gubrak]

Yes, great fight is starting!
Thanks Fox.

[foxs]

Sablemagi, you'll know really soon. Crazee, since you work in Singapore, I guess you can always wait until you are there to access the internet. :P Athlon, Ace, I think Sablemagi was just kidding. It was kind of funny though ... five six seven. Good thinking. Anh, you are welcome. How's Florida? Teeming with spring breakers yet? Gubrak, more fight ...

---

Wu Liuqi said, “Row the boat closer so we can see clearly.” The boatmen pulled the oars that the boat moved forward.

Ma Chaoxing said, “While someone else is holding him, we’d better make our move.” Turning to a boatman standing at the bow he said, “Send the signal.”

“Yes,” the boatman replied. He took a red lantern from the cabin and hung it on the mast. Immediately from the boats all around them people were slipping into the river.

Wei Xiaobao was greatly delighted. “Wonderful, wonderful!” he repeatedly exclaimed. His martial art skill was too low, he was not too interested in watching one-on-one combat. This time there were several hundred people oh his side besieging two people of the opposite party; it was a ‘grasp it and victory is assured’ situation, exactly where he wanted to be. Moreover, the people on his side were all skilled in water, they only had to swim to the bottom of the raft, cut the ropes connecting the raft, and the logs would immediately separate. Wouldn’t capturing the opposite party be as easy as stretching their hands?

As soon as he thought about the wooden raft disintegrating, he said busily, “Ma Dage, there is a young woman in that little cabin, she is Xiongdi’s betrothed wife; you must not let her drown.”

Ma Chaoxing laughed and said, “Wei Xiongdi, don’t worry, I have already arranged it. Among the brothers going down into the river, ten are specifically tasked with rescuing your Madame. These ten brothers have first-class water skill, even live fish will not escape their grasp; I guarantee there won’t be any accident.”

Wei Xiaobao happily said, “That’s wonderful.” He thought, “It would be best if they let Zheng Keshuang drown.” He wanted to ask Ma Chaoxing to issue an order not to save Zheng Keshuang, but eventually he was unable to say so.

The boat slowly came near. They saw a clump of black shadow and a strip of white shadow circled around and fluttered on the wooden raft in a tight combat. Wu Liuqi shook his head and said, “Li Zicheng has not trained upper-class martial art, he only relies on brute force; in no more than thirty moves, he is going to lose his life under Li Xihua’s sword. It’s hard to imagine that an ambitious and ruthless character of our generation will unexpectedly meet his fate on Liujiang River.”

Wei Xiaobao could not see the fight clearly; he only saw that Li Zicheng was forced to withdraw step by step. Suddenly he heard Ah Ke’s voice from the cabin saying, “Zheng Gongzi, please ask Feng Shifu to quickly help my father.”

“Very well,” Zheng Keshuang said, “Shifu, please drive that kid away!” The cabin’s door opened, Feng Xifan walked out with a sword in his hand. By this time Li Zicheng had been forced to withdraw to the edge of the raft; just one more step and he would have fallen into the river.

“Hey little kid,” Feng Xifan called out, “I am going to stab the ‘ling tai’ [spirit platform] acupoint on your back.” His sword slowly moved forward, it was really going to stab Li Xihua’s ling tai acupoint.

Li Xihua was about to swing his sword backward to block, suddenly from the cabin’s roof someone shouted, ““Hey little kid, I am going to stab the ling tai acupoint on your back!” White light flashed, like a bird someone pounced down, the weapon in his hand went straight toward Feng Xifan’s back.

This turn of events was indeed beyond everybody’s expectation; nobody expected someone was hiding on the roof of the little cabin. Feng Xifan could not continue his attack toward Li Xihua, he sidestepped and raised his sword to parry the enemy’s blade. ‘Dang!’ there was a continuous ringing. The weapon in the newcomer’s hand was a single-edged saber. As two blades collided, both of them were forced to take a step back. “Who’s there?” Feng Xifan shouted.

The man laughed and said, “I know you are the ‘Half Sword with Blood’ Feng Xifan; don’t you know me?”

Wei Xiaobao and the others were able to see clearly by now, the man was wearing coarse homespun cloth clothing, a plain white cloth was wrapped around his head, a strip of wide blue cloth was wrapped around his waist, and a pair of straw sandals on his feet; he was none other than the peasant who was able to open his own sealed acupoints in the gambling establishment earlier that day. Presumably he was unhappy because had fallen under Feng Xifan’s sneak attack, and had come to avenge the humiliation by the sword.

Feng Xifan imposingly said, “Based on Sire’s skill, why did you act like a nameless character, hiding the head showing the tail, sneaky and evasive like this?”

The peasant replied, “Even if I am a nameless character, I am still better than a ‘Half Sword with Blood’.”

Feng Xifan was furious; he raised his sword and stabbed straight forward. The peasant neither evaded nor blocked the attack, he simply lifted his saber and chopped down on Feng Xifan’s head. It looked like a desperate move in a fight where both side would suffer, but actually while the saber started to move later, it arrived earlier; the speed was extraordinary. The tip of Feng Xifan’s sword was still about a chi away from the opponent, the opponent’s saber had already reached his forehead. In great alarm he jumped to the left to evade.

The peasant swept his saber horizontally toward Feng Xifan’s waist. Feng Xifan waved his sword down to parry. The single-blade saber in the peasant’s hand suddenly changed direction, light as a feather, hacking down on Feng Xifan’s left arm. Feng Xifan leaned sideways to evade, and counterattack with a stab. Still the peasant did not block, he simply turned his saber toward Feng Xifan’s wrist.

The two of them had exchanged three moves, unexpectedly the peasant had attacked three times. His appearance was simple, wooden and slow, with 30% sign of stupidity, but his saber technique was swift, fierce and ruthless. Saber technique like his was seldom seen in Wulin world. Wu Liuqi and Ma Chaoxing were secretly surprised and amazed.

“Hold on!” Feng Xifan called out suddenly. Leaping two steps back, he said, “Turns out Sire is the Hundred Victory …”

“If you want to fight then fight,” the peasant shouted, “Why talk too much?” Leaping forward, ‘whoosh, whoosh, whoosh’ his saber attacked three times.

Feng Xifan was unable to speak leisurely, he had no choice but to brace himself to counter every move. Feng Xifan’s swordsmanship had also reached profound attainments; since he now focused all his attention to withstand the enemy, the peasant could no longer hold the upper hand. The sword and saber moved sometimes fast sometimes slow, sometimes the two weapons collided with each other several dozen times in rapid succession, sometimes they circled around each other without colliding for even once.

On the other front, Li Zicheng and Li Xihua were still fighting fiercely. Zheng Keshuang and Ah Ke, each with unsheathd weapon in their hand, were standing close to Li Zicheng, ready to help. Li Zicheng brandished his monk staff to block each attack, the power behind it was ‘hard’ and violent; although Li Xihua’s swordsmanship was exquisite, for a short while he was unable to close the distance.

After fighting for a while, Li Xihua suddenly pulled his arms and legs close to his body, and rolled around. When he rolled close to the enemy’s legs, suddenly the tip of his sword went up diagonally toward Li Zicheng’s lower abdomen. “Do you think you can live pass today?” he shouted.

It was the move ‘lying on overturned cloud’, the unique skill handed down by Song Dynasty’s Liangshan Lake hero Langzi [wanderer] Yan Qing, a very exquisite technique, incomparably fast and nimble, impossible for the opponent to guard against. Ah Ke and Zheng Keshuang were shocked; but by the time they realized Li Zicheng was under the enemy’s control, it was already too late to help.

Suddenly Li Zicheng threw his head back and roared. Everybody was stunned, their ears were buzzing. The power behind this roar was just like a jolt of thunder. Li Xihua was startled, unexpectedly the sword fell from his hand. Li Zicheng’s left leg flew up and kicked him, sending him tumbling away. The head of the monk staff rested against his chest, Li Xihua was pressed in between the staff and the raft, he was unable to move a single step.

In just a split second the victory and defeat was easily flipped; Li Zicheng only had to pound his monk staff and the ribs in Li Xihua’s chest would be broken, his heart and lungs would shatter into pieces, and he would not be alive anymore. Li Zicheng shouted, “If you admit defeat, I will let you live.”

“Just kill me quickly,” Li Xihua replied, “I cannot avenge my father’s big enmity, how can I have the face to live in this world?”

Li Zicheng let out a long laugh, and then said, “Very good!” He was about to send his strength to his arms to push the monk staff into Li Xihua’s body when a ray of clear, cold moonlight from behind happened to illuminate Li Xihua’s face. He saw his face looked tranquil, with a faint smile on his lips; unexpectedly there was not a trace of fear on it. Li Zicheng’s heart was shaken. “Are you a Henan man by the surname of Li?” he shouted.

Li Xihua replied, “It’s a pity that from our surname Li there is someone as narrow-minded as you are, a coward who failed to accomplish great things.”

Li Zicheng’s voice was trembling, “Li Yan, Li Gongzi, who is he to you?”

“So you know,” Li Xihua replied, “That’s very good.” While saying that he showed a faint smile.

Li Zicheng lifted the monk staff and asked, “You are Li Xiongdi … Xiongdi’s son?”

Li Xihua said, “It’s a shame you still have the face to call my father ‘brother’.”

Li Zicheng’s body swayed several times, his left hand was pressed on his own chest. “Li Xiongdi left behind a descendant?” he muttered to himself, “You … you are Hong Niangzi’s[1] son?”

Seeing Li Zicheng’s monk staff was raised several chi up, Li Xihua sternly said, “Quickly make your move! What do you bring these matters up for?”

Li Zicheng withdrew two steps back, he rested the monk staff on the wooden raft, and said slowly, “My first blunder in life was precisely harming your father. You cursed me as narrow-minded, a coward who failed to accomplish great things. You are right, absolutely right! You want to avenge your father, which is only natural. In all my life I, Li Zicheng have killed people beyond counting, and I never take it to heart. But killing your father, I … I am truly ashamed.” Suddenly ‘Wah!’ he threw up a mouthful of blood.

Li Xihua had never expected this turn of events; he leaped up and picked his sword. Seeing Li Zicheng’s white beard was full of drops of blood, Li Xihua could not thrust his sword forward. He said, “Since I have seen the shame and remorse in your heart, it beats killing you with the sword.” He flew up, his left foot kicked on the very thick rope connecting the wooden rafts, with several leaps he reached the shore, and then after bounding ups and downs several time, he disappeared into the darkness.

“Father!” Ah Ke called out, and rushed toward Li Zicheng to support him.

Li Zicheng shook his hand. He walked to the edge of the raft, his left foot stepped out, his body then went into the river. “Father!” Ah Ke cried out in fear, “You … you must not …” They all saw no movement on the surface of the river, and thought that he must have killed himself by drowning; they were all startled and found it surprising.

After a while, they saw the top of Li Zicheng’s head appeared on the surface of the river. Turned out he was holding his breath while walking along the bottom of the river. The iron monk staff in his hand was very heavy, hence his body did not float.

They saw his head and shoulder gradually emerged from the river as he treaded on the shallow water of the river bank. Step by step he climbed up the shore, dragging the iron monk staff, hobbling away slowly.

Ah Ke turned around and said, “Zheng Gongzi, my father … he … he’s gone.” ‘Wah!’ she broke into crying and threw herself into Zheng Keshuang’s bosom.

Zheng Keshuang wrapped his left arm around her and gently patted her back with his right hand. “Your father is gone, but you still have me!” he consoled her. But before he could finish, the logs beneath his feet disintegrate. “Aiyo!” they both screamed and fell into the river.

The experts of Tian Di Hui’s Latter Family Hall who were proficient in water skill dived into the river and cut the bamboo rope binding the wooden raft; the logs separated immediately. Feng Xifan anxiously leaped up; spotting a large log, he lightly landed on it. The peasant also leaped after him. ‘Whoosh!’ his saber hacked down on Feng Xifan’s head. Feng Xifan brandished his sword to parry. The two of them continued their fierce combat on the log.

This fight was several times more difficult compared to the fight they just had on the wooden raft. The log was rolling continuously on the water, hence it was difficult to get a steady footing, plus they could not use it as the base with which they could jump around; yet Feng Xifan and the peasant were able to fight steadily; saber and sword moved back and forth without slowing down the slightest bit. Brought by the river’s current, gradually the log floated to the middle of the river.

“Aiyo!” suddenly Wu Liuqi exclaimed, “I remember now. This Xiongdi is the ‘Bai Sheng Dao Wang’ [Hundred Victory Saber King] Hu Yizhi. He … how did he turn to be like that? Quickly pursue them, row the boat!”

“Hu Yizhi?” Ma Chaoxing asked in surprise, “Isn’t he also nicknamed ‘Mei Dao Wang’ [Handsome (lit. beautiful) Saber King]? This man is outstandingly handsome; it was said in the past that he was the number one handsome man of Wulin; unexpectedly he disguises himself as a stupid-looking peasant!”

In the meantime, Wei Xiaobao kept asking, “Have you rescued my wife?”

Wu Liuqi showed a displeased expression, he stared hard at him, obviously he was saying, “‘Bai Sheng Dao Wang’ Hu Yizhi is encountering a powerful enemy, the water surface is treacherous, how can we not immediately go forward to help him? You are only concerned about your woman, you are paying more attention to a lover than friends; it’s not a hero’s conduct.”

---

[1] Hong Niangzi literally means Red Madame. Coincidentally, these two names (Li Yan and Hong Niangzi) also appeared in Liang Yusheng’s White Haired Demoness (See WHD, translated by Faerie Queene and yours truly. The story of Li Yan and the Red Madame can be found in Chapter 21).

[aliderhamy]

Then again i get to read them first

[Gubrak]

Recently I communicate with a China's company, she hardly speak English and I hardly speak Mandarin, so already a week our problem not solve yet, too many misunderstanding ... OMG. At last, my family in Beijing help me to call her.

I can't imagine if I do this translation, maybe take more than 10 years to finish
Gratefully Foxs voluntarily translate it for us to read (and it's free!), many many thanks Foxs

[tweety365]

So much happening in such a short period. Sure wish JY would have written some details on how Ah Ke reunited with her father and met up with the ZKS and his sneak attack teacher. So now that Li Zicheng suddenly feels ashamed of his past deed, he's just going to leave his daughter and hide in self pity again? I don't get these people...

Thanks foxs!

[crazee]

checked this morning....nothing new but wow, after lunch...it's in.

Really lot's of action. really XB should have told them to just finish off everybody.
I'd thought he had enough of the stupid Ah Ke.....sigh.

Again Thanks Foxs....it a wonderful read.

[smurf120]

I enjoyed this extended introduction of Wu Liqui - usually they just have him show up in military uniform with some heroic background music.

[Anh Nam]

lThanks Foxs
The Weather is great here and I have not gone any where near Spring Breakers.

[muliono]

I also check for updates like 2-3 times everyday

Thanks Foxs!!!

[foxs]

Ali, Muliono, is it just me, or is the forum getting a bit quiet lately? (..deleted..) Gubrak, don't be discouraged. If there is no internet, I would not be able to do this. If you are interested in knowing how I translate, email me. Tweety, Crazee, so far, everything we know is from WXB's point of view. Smurf, I thought you have read Minford's? I don't recall reading much details from his work. Anh, but your business (or your wife's) is gift shop, isn't it?

---

Ma Chaoxing called out, “Quickly pass the order: get more people, we must rescue that girl.” The boatman on the stern shouted the order.

Suddenly they saw two men appeared on the surface of the river, holding soaking wet Ah Ke. “We got the girl,” they called out. Immediately afterwards, someone on the left also appeared, pulling Zheng Keshuang’s collar and pushed him up to the boat; the man called out, “We also got the boy.” Everybody burst into loud laughter.

Wei Xiaobao felt relieved immediately. Beaming from ear to ear he said, “Let’s go to that ‘Hundred Victory Saber King’, see how he is doing against that ‘Half Sword with Blood’.”

Under Wu Liuqi’s urging, the four oars had already been rowing that the boat rapidly approached the big log on which Hu and Feng, two people were fighting. Under the bright moonlight they saw white rays flashing on the surface of the river; the two of them were still engaged in close combat.

Originally these two’s martial art skill was more or less equal, but when Feng Xifan exchanged palm strikes with Feng Jizhong and Priest Xuanzhen earlier during the day, due to Feng Jizhong’s strong internal energy, he had already felt the chi and blood in the pit of his stomach could not flow unimpeded. This moment, after a prolonged battle, he started to feel a dull ache on the right side of his chest.

Fighting on a continuously rolling log, other than advancing or retreating a step or half step, really there was no room for freedom of action. Hundred Victory Saber King Hu Yizhi’s saber technique was dangerous, the power behind it fierce, he only attacked and did not defend, each saber strike looked to be a desperate attack with the intention of perishing together. Fighting technique like this, if it was used by someone with mediocre martial art skill, would appear brutish, brazen act of playing dirty; but Hu Yizhi’s saber technique was a style of its own, although it looked dangerous, it was actually executed in calmness. His martial art was strange to begin with, and now he was attacking swiftly and fiercely in a seemingly desperate all-out effort with total disregard of his own life, Feng Xifan could not help but was intimidated, plus he also noticed the boat that was coming fast. On the bow stood several men, as he took a quick glance, he was surprised to recognize the old beggar whom he had met at the casino earlier was among those men.

Giving a loud shout, Hu Yizhi struck to the left once, and to the right twice, he struck upward once, and downward twice; six saber strikes altogether, one after another. Feng Xifan did everything he could to block, yet in his frantic effort he still managed to counter with two sword strikes. His defense was exceptionally tight.

“Good saber technique! Good sword technique!” Wu Liuqi praised.

Hu Yizhi brandished his saber directly onto Feng Xifan’s face. Feng Xifan retreated half a step, while bending his upper body backward to evade, his sword swept to the front to shield his body. By this time his left foot was stepping on the tip of the log, his heel was already in the water, he could not retreat even for half a cun more. Hu Yizhi chopped down three more times, Feng Xifan countered with three sword strikes, unexpectedly he did not retreat at all. With a loud shout, Hu Yizhi raised his saber up and hacked down. Feng Xifan leaned sideways to evade, to his surprise, however, Hu Yizhi did not pull back, the saber continued chopping down. ‘Crash!’ he chopped the log into two sections. Feng Xifan was standing on the tip of the log, as soon as the log was cut, “Ah!” he cried out and fell into the water.

Hu Yizhi threw his saber toward Feng Xifan. Submerged in the water, Feng Xifan did not have any way of evading, seeing the steel saber flying toward him, he also quickly threw his sword. ‘Clang!’ the saber and the sword collided midair, creating sparks in the dark; both weapons were thrown far away and fell into the river. Feng Xifan dived into the water and disappeared.

Hu Yizhi was secretly alarmed, “This man has a superb water skill; had I fell into the river together with him a moment ago, I would have fallen into his evil scheme.”

Wu Liuqi called in a loud and clear voice, “Hundred Victory Saber King, your name is not in vain! I have witnessed your divine skill today, it has indeed broaden my horizon. How about coming onboard and drink a cup of wine?”

“Thank you for your hospitality!” Hu Yizhi replied, and leaped onto the boat.

The bow was only sinking slightly, unexpectedly the hull did not sway at all. Wei Xiaobao did not understand the difficulty of this jump, but Wu Liuqi, Ma Chaoxing and the others were full of admiration. Wu Liuqi cupped his fist and said, “Zaixia Wu Liuqi. This gentleman is Ma Chaoxing Xiongdi, this one is Wei Xiaobao Xiongdi. We are all Tian Di Hui Xiangzhu.”

Hu Yizhi raised his thumb and said, “Wu Xiong, the fact that you belong to Tian Di Hui is a top secret; if this matter is leaked out, the lives of your entire family cannot be protected. We just met for the first time today, yet you did not conceal anything to Xiongdi. This kind of heroic spirit is worthy of other people’s admiration.”

Wu Liuqi laughed and said, “If I don’t trust Hundred Victory Saber King, won’t that mean Xiongdi is a despicable lowly person?”

Hu Yizhi was greatly delighted; he grabbed Wu Liuqi’s hands and said, “These years Xiongdi lives in seclusion, growing vegetables, no longer pay any attention to Jianghu matters; yet unexpectedly today I can become good friends with the Iron Beggar Wu Liuqi.” While speaking, they walked hand-in-hand into the cabin. He merely nodded slightly toward Ma Chaoxing, Wei Xiaobao, and the others, and did not pay them any attention.

Seeing he had defeated Zheng Keshuang’s shifu, Wei Xiaobao was full of admiration and gratitude; he said, “Hu Daxia [great hero] defeated Feng Xifan and threw him into the river, the turtles and terrapins in the river must be biting his body bloody. The ‘Half Sword with Blood’ has turned into ‘Without Sword with Blood’. Ha ha …”

Hu Yizhi smiled and said, “Wei Xiangzhu, your skill in throwing dice is indeed not bad.” In saying that, he was actually mocking Wei Xiaobao in that his martial art skill was lacking, that he was only skilled in throwing the dice, in cheating those ‘cattle’.

But Wei Xiaobao did not think it was an insult; he felt very proud instead. He laughed and said, “Hu Daxia’s skill in arranging the tiles is first-class. The two of us brothers working together as the banker, we won not a few of that short and fat fellow’s money. Hu Daxia owns half, when we return, I will give you your share.”

Hu Yizhi laughed and said, “Next time when Wei Xiangzhu becomes the banker, Xiongdi will still help you. Gambling with you, I will definitely not lose.”

Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, “Wonderful, wonderful!”

Ma Chaoxing ordered his men to replenish the wine. They drank on the boat together. After drinking several cups, Hu Yizhi said, “Since as soon as we met we hit it off right away, Xiongdi does not dare to conceal my problem. Speaking of which, I am actually quite ashamed. For more than twenty years Xiongdi has withdrawn from Jianghu, and live in seclusion at the outskirts of the city of Kunming; it was all because of a woman.”

“In her song,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Chen Yuanyuan did mention some hero’s affection. Since he is a hero, naturally he is passionate.”

Wu Liuqi knitted his brows; he thought, “Little kid loves to speak nonsense. What do you know anyway?”

Unexpectedly Hu Yizhi’s countenance changed slightly; he sighed and spoke slowly, “A hero has no choice but to be passionate. Wu Meicun’s poem was very well-written, but that Wu Sangui is not a hero, he is not passionate either; he is no more than a dirty old man.” And then he hummed ‘Yuanyuan Song’ softly, “How could a wife consent to shut down such a matter of paramount importance? Reluctant hero is full of affection.” Turning to Wei Xiaobao he said, “Wei Xiangzhu, when you were at the Three-Sage Nunnery that day, you listened to Miss Chen singing this song; your ears’ good fortune is indeed not shallow. I have lived by her side on and off for twenty-three years, I have heard this song three times. The last time was thanks to your good luck.”

Wei Xiaobao asked in surprise, “You have lived by her side for twenty-three years? Are you … are you also Chen Yuanyuan’s love … lover?”

With a bitter laugh Hu Yizhi said, “She … she … hey hey, she has never even looked at me straight in the eye. I live in the Three-Sage Nunnery, growing vegetables and sweeping the floor, chopping firewood and carrying water, she only knew me as a countryside farmer.”

Wu Liuqi and Ma Chaoxing looked at each other, they both felt strange, thinking that this ‘Handsome Saber King’ must be infatuated with Chen Yuanyuan’s beauty so much so that he was willing to be her servant. This man’s martial art skill was very high, his prestige was grand; in the past, he was considered as a first-class character of the Wulin world. Unexpectedly he was most willing to humble himself and do servile work; it was indeed very puzzling. Looking at Hu Yizhi, they saw a man with grey hair, his sparse beard had more white than black, his face was full of wrinkles, his skin dark; how could he be called ‘handsome’?

“Hu Daxia,” Wei Xiaobao asked in amazement, “Your martial art skill is superb; why didn’t you just grab Chen Yuanyuan and take her go?”

When Hu Yizhi heard this, an angry look flitted through his face, a murderous intent flashed through his eyes. Wei Xiaobao was terrified; his grip loosened, the wine cup in his hand dropped, the wine splashed all over the place. Hu Yizhi lowered his head, sighed and said, “That day I was in Chengdu, Sichuan when inadvertently I caught a glimpse of Miss Chen. Ay, that was a predestined relationship. Since that day my soul and spirit turn upside-down, I can’t no longer free myself. Wei Xiangzhu, the ol’ Hu is someone without any future prospect, a man without any ambition. When Miss Chen was in Ping Xi Wang mansion, I became a gardener in the mansion, growing flowers and pulling the weeds for her. When she moved to the Three-Sage Nunnery, I followed her and gathered firewood for her. I have no other desire than to stole a glance of her every morning and evening, and then I would be perfectly contented. How … how could I treat a beautiful woman with the slightest degree of rudeness?”

Wei Xiaobao asked, “In that case, you love her this much, but these past twenty years or so, she did not know?”

Hu Yizhi shook his head with a bitter laugh, “I am afraid to reveal my real identity. Usually, I rarely speak more than three sentences in one day, in her presence I became even more dumbstruck and unable to reply. These past twenty-three years, I only spoke thirty-nine sentences to her. In return, she has spoken to me fifty-five sentences.”

Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, “You remember very clearly.”

Wu Liuqi and Ma Chaoxing felt sorrowful, they both thought that he even counted clearly the number of time those two people spoke; it was indeed a case of infatuation to the extreme. Wu Liuqi was afraid Wei Xiaobao would babble more nonsense and hence hurt his feeling, so he said, “Hu Dage, our nature is different from each other. Some people like to study martial art like crazy, some love to drink wine, some like to gamble. Chen Yuanyuan is the number one beauty in the world, you appreciate beauty, but your feeling toward her is pure, it is really rare. Xiongdi is being bold, I would like to offer an advice, I wonder if it can be accepted.”

Hu Yizhi replied, “Wu Xiong, please speak.”

Wu Liuqi said, “Thinking about that Chen Yuanyuan, naturally in the past her beauty was incomparable, but by this time, she is growing old, it may be assumed that …”

Hu Yizhi repeatedly shook his head, he was unwilling to hear the rest. “Wu Xiong,” he said, “Some people are ambitious, yet Xiongdi is a silly big melon. If you look down upon me, let us part now.” While saying that, he stood up.

“Wait a minute!” Wei Xiaobao said, “Hu Xiong, Chen Yuanyuan’s beauty, no one in the mortal world has it; she is like the eternal, celestial fairy. Fortunately Wu Xiangzhu and Ma Xiangzhu have never seen her; otherwise, as soon as they saw her, I am afraid they would also be willing to grow vegetable and fetch water for her, and then our Tian Di Hui will be short two Xiangzhu …”

Wu Liuqi secretly cursed in his heart, “Damn it, the little demon is speaking without thinking.”

Wei Xiaobao continued, “… I have seen her with my own eyes. Her daughter Ah Ke is only half as beautiful as she is, but to be really honest with you, I have already made up my mind that even if I am hacked to pieces, that my body is torn and my bones crushed, I simply have to take her as my wife. At the casino yesterday, she wanted to dig my eyes out, she was vicious and merciless, yet laozi did not care. This matter, laoxiong has seen it with your own eyes, this is not a pretense at all.”

When Hu Yizhi heard this, he was overwhelmed with the feeling that they were fellow sufferers who empathized with each other. He sighed and said, “In my opinion, that Ah Ke seem to be a bit uninterested in Wei Xiongdi.”

“What do you mean a bit uninterested?” Wei Xiaobao said, “She practically hates me to the bones. Damn it … Hu Dage, please don’t misunderstand, I am simply cursing thoughtlessly, I was not cursing her Ma, Chen Yuanyuan … [note: damn it (ta ma de) lit. ‘his/her mother’] Didn’t that Ah Ke already pierce my chest hatefully with her sword? Later on she also pierced my eyes; if not for my luck was good, she would have murdered her own husband early on. She … she … humph, she has taken a liking to that Zheng Gongzi of Taiwan, she is concentrating her thoughts and efforts to be husband and wife with him. Unfortunately that surnamed Zheng did not drown to his death in the river.”

[muliono]

Well, Foxs you are the most productive translator by far... if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be lurking here this much. Heh.. heh... I'm like an addict constantly waiting for my "Deer n Cauldron" fix...

Anyway, yeah I also felt like the forum got quiet recently... but not sure if it was only me or not.

Thank you very much Foxs!!

[soifuron]

Made an account today just to give thanks for the great translation. Definitely better than the official release version in my opinion. This has more details and are very enjoyable to read.

Thanks a lot foxs!

[smurf120]

At least Xiao Bao recognizes his infatuation and Ah Ke's hatred - silly little boy indeed.

I hope Wu Liuqui will change his opinion of WXB because right now he seems way disgusted.

[sablemagi]

Thanks foxs! I was in military service for two weeks and did not read this. So great and I love it! The social dynamics is fascinating and I am liking this new guy too.

[aliderhamy]

thanks for the update

I hope you and your family are in good health and doing well foxs.

[Anh Nam]

Thanks Foxs
I think you are right about being the only one who posts translations regularly.
Our Oriental Gift Shop gets a lot of snowbirds and very few spring breakers.