The Deer and The Cauldron

[smurf120]

There is actually direct reference of why he finds the Princess beatings likeable. LOL

This meeting is a massive case of lucky coincidence that can only happen to WXB - I still don't get why Ah Ke insists on killing WXB but whatevers.

I love that he finally gets to see his mother again - I think he is the only wuxia hero that gets to meet his mother again.

[Anh Nam]

Thanks foxs

[crazee]

Wow. oh double wow.....the stupid Ah Ke....so strong sentiments against XB. And the Zheng fellow, I thought his purpose is to look at ways to overthrow the tartars?? No wonder it fails, petty revenge I must say.
Lucky for XB eh? If they had not chosen the very brothel and the very same time.....

Well, Thanks foxs....loving it so far...

[ToastedRossi]

Thanks foxs for the translation.

The story is getting exciting - can't believe first of his ladies to meet ma is Ah Ke.

She just wants to meet mother-in-law! More seriously, I think that Wei Chunfang is a great character - you can see where a lot of what makes up Wei Xiaobao comes from. I think that she comes across as a very relatable character while simultaneously emphasizing how different her outlook is from all the other characters in the story.

I love that he finally gets to see his mother again - I think he is the only wuxia hero that gets to meet his mother again.

It does happen a few times in Jin Yong's novels, but it's probably the most poignant here.

Wow. oh double wow.....the stupid Ah Ke....so strong sentiments against XB. And the Zheng fellow, I thought his purpose is to look at ways to overthrow the tartars?? No wonder it fails, petty revenge I must say.

The main chance that Taiwan has of overthrowing the Manchus is through Tiandihui. However, they are loyal to Chen Jinnan, who is in turn loyal to Keshuang's older brother. Since the older brother is the heir to the Zheng family, Keshuang can only really work towards the overall goal by cooperating with Tiandihui. Doing so would strengthen his brother, so he chose to eliminate Chen Jinnan instead. Wei Xiaobao is Chen Jinnan's student, so getting him first is a pretty logical step.

If Zheng Keshuang were a more upstanding person, then he'd forsake personal ambition for the greater goal; but then he wouldn't be Zheng Keshuang anymore.

[foxs]

Smurf, I agree with Toasted, I remember Shi Potian from Xia Ke Xing, Guo Jing from LOCH, I don't remember anybody else. Anh, you are welcome. Crazee, without all those 'accidents', there won't be any story.

---

Before long, Wei Chunfang returned, carrying a pot brimming with wine. Upon entering the room, she said, “Quickly drink two mouthfuls.”

Still lying down on the bed, Wei Xiaobao received the wine pot. He sat up and drank a mouthful. Wei Chunfang looked at her son stealing brothel patron’s drink, she was not able to refrain her face from revealing overflowing tenderness.

“Ma,” Wei Xiaobao said, “There is a big soot on your face.”

Wei Chunfang hastily went to the mirror to look. Wei Xiaobao brought the wine pot into the quilt, and poured more than half a bottle of the Mi Chun wine.

Seeing her face was clean, without any soot in sight, Wei Chunfang realized that her son had been playing trick with her, to get her attention away from him, so that he could steal a big mouthful of wine. She turned around at once, snatched the wine pot and cursed, “Little b@stard came out of laoniang’s belly; how could I not know your trick? Humph, formerly you could not drink wine, after loitering around outside these days, you learned all kinds of bad deeds.”

“Ma,” Wei Xiaobao said, “That Xiao Xianggong’s temperament is not good. No matter what you must give him several more cups to drink. After he is drunk and does not make any sound, it will be easier to swindle that Da Xianggong’s money.”

Wei Chunfang said, “Laoniang has been in business all my life, do I still need you to teach me this child’s play?” But in her heart she secretly agreed that her son’s idea was good. She also thought, “Little b@stard is home, this is indeed a tremendously happy occasion. Tonight I’d better not have any pest asking me to spend the night with him, laoniang wants to be with my son.” Taking the wine pot, she hurriedly left.

Wei Xiaobao lay back down on the bed, anger and complacency alternated in his mind, he thought, “Laozi is really lucky. That stinky thief surnamed Zheng did not visit other prostitute, he came here to give me advantage, he wanted to be laozi’s foster father. Let’s see if I don’t stab him with a sword and scatter some corpse transforming powder.” He thought about how after sprinkling some corpse transforming powder on his wound, Zheng Keshuang would soon turn into a puddle of yellow liquid; when Ah Ke’s drunkenness was over, her ‘Gege’ would have been disappeared without a trace, his whereabouts unknown, even if she broke her head she would never figure out what happened. “Damn it,” he mused, “If you want to call your ‘Gege’, quickly call him several more time. Very soon you won’t be able to call at all.”

He was very happy. Crawling out of his bed, he went back to the Sweet Nectar Hall to peek inside. He saw Zheng Keshuang had just downed a cup of wine. Ah Ke had a cup on her lips, which she daintily sipped. Wei Xiaobao was greatly delighted, he saw his mother poured another cup for Zheng Keshuang. Zheng Keshuang waved his hand and said, “Out, out, we don’t need you to serve.”

Wei Chunfang complied. When she put down the wine pot, her sleeve covered a dish of sliced ham. Wei Xiaobao smiled and said in his heart, “I am going to eat some ham tonight.” He hastily returned to the room.

Not too long afterwards, Wei Chunfang came back with a plate of sliced ham. She laughed and said, “Little b@stard, when you were dead outside, did you have this kind of good food to eat?” Grinning from ear to ear she sat on the bed, watching her son eating with gusto; she felt better than if she was eating it herself.

“Ma,” Wei Xiaobao asked, “Did you drink the wine?”

“I did, several cups,” Wei Chunfang replied, “If I drank some more I am afraid I will be drunk, and then you’ll slip away.”

Wei Xiaobao thought, “If I did not drug Mama, I could not achieve big thing.” He said, “I won’t leave. Ma, I haven’t accompanied you sleeping for a long time. Tonight don’t go to keep those two pests company, you stay here with me.”

Wei Chunfang was greatly delighted; her son hated to leave her like this, the last time it happened he was about seven, eight years old. She could not believe that after suffering outside, he finally remembered to love his mother. She could not help but beaming with joy as she said, “Alright, tonight Niang will accompany obedient Xiaobao to sleep.”

“Ma,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Although I was outside, I remembered you every day. Come, let me take your clothes off.”

His bootlicking skill had been used on the Emperor, the Cult Leader, the Princess and his masters; it was honed to perfection. Presently he was using it on his own mother, unexpectedly he received an unusual reaction. Wei Chunfang was used to social interaction with the patrons of the brothel, men’s hand groping her body, she just hardened her heart. But when her own son’s hand was extended to unbutton her clothes, she could not stop her body from turning weak; she let out a giggle. After Wei Xiaobao took off his mother’s outer clothes, he proceeded by loosening her trousers’ belt. “Pei,” Wei Chunfang spat, and gently slapped his hand; she said with a laugh, “I can do it myself.” Suddenly she felt shy, she went inside the quilt and took off her trousers, and from underneath the quilt she put it on top the quilt.

Wei Xiaobao fished two ingots of silver, altogether worth more than thirty taels, and stuffed it into his mother’s hand; he said, “Ma, I am giving this to you.”

Wei Chunfang was very happy; suddenly she burst into tears. “I … I’ll keep it for you,” she said, “In … in a few years I’ll give it back to you to get yourself a wife.”

Wei Xiaobao said in his heart, “I already have.” He blew the oil lantern off and said, “Ma, quickly sleep. I will wait for you to fall asleep, before I go to sleep myself.”

Wei Chunfang laughed and said, “Little b@stard, you really have a lot of tricks,” and then she closed her eyes.

She was tired after working all day, plus she drank several cups of wine; seeing her son returned, she was unbearably happy. As soon as she closed her eyes, it did not take long before she dozed off.

As soon as Wei Xiaobao heard her snore, he tiptoed toward the door. An idea struck him, hence he returned and took his mother’s trousers and tossed it on top of the mosquito net; he thought, “When she wakes up, without trousers she won’t be able to catch me.”


He went outside Sweet Nectar Hall, and saw Zheng Keshuang splayed on his chair face up, Ah Ke slumped face down on the table; they were both motionless. Wei Xiaobao was greatly delighted; he waited for a moment, seeing that the two of them were still unmoving, he entered the hall. He was about to close the door behind him when he suddenly had a second thought, “There is no hurry to close the door. If this fellow only pretend to be drunk, I can’t escape if the door is closed.”

Pulling his dagger, he walked over to him, and pushed Zheng Keshuang with his right hand. He was completely motionless; it was obvious that he had lost his consciousness. Wei Xiaobao also pushed Ah Ke; she mumbled something, but did not sit up. He thought, “The wine she drank was too little; I am afraid she will wake up soon, and that will be dangerous.”

Inserting the dagger back into his boot, he propped her up until she was sitting up. Ah Ke’s eyes were closed, “Gege,” she mumbled incoherently, “I … I can’t drink anymore.”

Wei Xiaobao said in a low voice, “Good Meizi, drink one more cup.” He poured a cup full of wine and pushed it into her little mouth with his left hand that the wine trickled down. Still in a daze Ah Ke swallowed the Mi Chun drugged wine. Wei Xiaobao said in his heart, “You and laozi have bowed to the Heaven and the Earth in an official wedding, you were unwilling to celebrate the wedding festivities with your husband, but came to Lovely Spring Courtyard to be a little wh0re, you want your husband to be the pest who ‘comb your covering’. You are indeed a lowly pervert.”

Ah Ke’s beauty was originally matchless. Now that she was drunk, under the red candle’s light, she looked even more ‘thousand-adorable hundred-charm’. Wei Xiaobao’s sexual desire was greatly aroused. No longer cared whether Zheng Keshuang was dead or alive, drunk or awake, he carried Ah Ke in his arms toward the large bedroom next to the Sweet Nectar Hall.

The large bedroom was prepared for grand patrons who wanted to spend the night. The big bed was at least six chi [foot] wide. The mattress and quilt were embroidered, the furnishing was magnificent. Wei Xiaobao gently put Ah Ke down on the bed. He went back outside to pick the candlestick, which he put on the table next to the head of the bed. Looking at Ah Ke’s rosy complexion, he could not stop his heart from thumping madly. Leaning over her, he took her long robe, exposing her thin, close-fitting light green undergarment.

He reached out to loosen the knots on her thin underpants, suddenly he heard footsteps behind his back; someone was rushing in. He was about to turn around when his braid tightened, his ear was twisted; once again he was grabbed by Wei Chunfang. “Ma,” Wei Xiaobao said in a low voice, “Let go, quickly!”

“Little b@stard,” Wei Chunfang cursed, “Although we are poor, we must not violate the courtyard’s rule. Among the nine famous courtyards of Yangzhou, which one ever had the guest’s money stolen? Quickly return it!”

“I did not steal anybody’s money,” Wei Xiaobao anxiously said.

Wei Chunfang pulled his braid as hard as she could, and forcefully dragged him back to their own room. She scolded, “If you did not steal money, why did you take people’s clothes off? These several tens of taels, you must have become little thief and stole it. I raised you up with great trouble, it had never occurred to me that you would become a thief.” In her bitter anger, she burst into tears. She took the two ingots of silver at the head of the bed and threw it to the floor.

Wei Xiaobao found it hard to explain; if he said that the guest was a woman dressing up as a man, and that she was his own wife, one, it was complicated and was not easy to express succinctly, two, no matter what his mother would not believe him. He could only say, “Why would I want to steal anybody’s money? Look, I have a lot of money.” From his pocket he took out the big wad of banknotes. “Ma,” he said, “I wanted to give all this money to you, but I was afraid I might scare you off, hence I am going to give it to you slowly.”

Wei Chunfang saw several dozen sheets of banknotes worth several hundred taels each, she was so scared that her eyes grew big. “This … this … little thief,” she stammered, “You … you … didn’t you take this from those two xianggong? Even if you re-enter the womb and reincarnate as little b@stard ten lifetimes, you won’t make this much money. Quickly return other people’s money, we do business in the courtyard, if we have the ability, we may swindle other people’s money a hundred or eighty thousand taels, but the pest has to be most willing to do it, he has to present it with both hands. If you ever steal one thing from other people, Er Lang Shen [deity with three eyes] would never spare you, you will still do the same thing to earn a living in your next life. Xiaobao, Niang is doing this for your own good!” When she spoke the fast few sentences, her tone turned gentle. She also said, “When those people wake up tomorrow and do not see this much money, won’t they raise a ruckus? And then officials from yamen will come to investigate, they will arrest you, won’t they beat you until your skin breaks and your flesh rotten? Obedient Xiaobao, we cannot covet this much money belonging to other people.”

After talking back and forth, the bottom line was that she wanted her son to return the money. Wei Xiaobao thought, “Ma making a lot of fuss, this matter cannot be explained succinctly. If the noise reaches the brothel proprietress, the turtle would find out, everybody will make a fuss, then this matter will turn for the worst.” His heart was moved, he had an idea, “Alright, alright,” he said, “Ma, I will listen to you.”

Pulling his mother’s hand along, he went back to the Sweet Nectar Hall, and stuffed his wad of banknotes into Zheng Keshuang’s pocket. He pulled his own two pockets inside out and brushed his body, saying, “I don’t even have one tael left on me; you feel better?”

Wei Chunfang sighed and said, “Good, you are doing the right thing.”

Returning to their own room, Wei Xiaobao noticed that his mother was wearing a pair of old trousers, he could not help but scoffing. Wei Chunfang bent her finger and knocked his forehead with her knuckle; she scolded, “I woke up to use the toilet, and could not find my trousers, hence I knew you were not doing a good thing.” Finished speaking, she could not refrain from laughing.

“Aiyo, not good,” Wei Xiaobao said, “I need to sh1t.” Hugging his belly, he rushed out.

Wei Chunfang was afraid he might return to Sweet Nectar Hall; seeing he was running toward the latrine [orig. thatched hut] at the back garden, she was relieved. “You want to go to the reception hall again, you won’t escape laoniang’s eyes,” she mused.

Wei Xiaobao exited from the side door and dashed back to the He Garden. The personal guard on duty raised his arms to block, “What do you want?” he shouted.

“I am the Imperial Envoy Minister,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Don’t you know me?”

The personal guard was startled; he looked closer, indeed it was the imperial envoy minister. “Yes, it’s Daren …” he hastily said.

Without waiting for him to finish, Wei Xiaobao quickly returned to his room and said, “Good Shuang’er, quick, quick, help me change back into Imperial Envoy Minister.” While talking, he pulled off the long robe he was wearing.

Shuang’er served him washing his face and changing his clothes; she said with a laugh, “Imperial Envoy Minister going out to make personal investigation, have you found the actual facts?”

“I have,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “We are going to make arrest right now. Quickly wear your personal guard uniform, go get eight personal guards and follow me.”

“Do you want me to get Xu Laoyezi [old master] and the others?” Shuang’er asked.

Wei Xiaobao thought, “Zheng Keshuang and Ah Ke are already unconscious, just stretch a hand and grab it, it’s going to be as easy as blowing off dust. If Xu Tianchuan and the others come with me, they won’t let me kill that stinky fellow surnamed Zheng. Taking personal guards with me, I can put on airs and scare my Niang, scare the brothel proprietress, the turtle.” Thereupon he said, “No need.”

Shuang’er put on her personal guard uniform, “How about taking Miss Zeng along?” she asked.

[ToastedRossi]

Thanks foxs for the translation. This is seriously one of my favorite parts of the book - against his mother, even Xiaobao's cleverness and resources meet their match! He even got cheated out of his own money!

Wei Chunfang was very happy; suddenly she burst into tears. “I … I’ll keep it for you,” she said, “In … in a few years I’ll give it back to you to get yourself a wife.”

Wei Xiaobao said in his heart, “I already have.”

Hah! He has three: the big one who lured him into a trap, the little one who cares for him, and the beautiful one who's planning to kill him!

We also see a lot about Xiaobao's negative characteristics:

"He thought about how after sprinkling some corpse transforming powder on his wound, Zheng Keshuang would soon turn into a puddle of yellow liquid; when Ah Ke’s drunkenness was over, her ‘Gege’ would have been disappeared without a trace, his whereabouts unknown, even if she broke her head she would never figure out what happened."

The first thing that Xiaobao thinks of is murder.

"Ah Ke’s beauty was originally matchless. Now that she was drunk, under the red candle’s light, she looked even more ‘thousand-adorable hundred-charm’. Wei Xiaobao’s sexual desire was greatly aroused. No longer cared whether Zheng Keshuang was dead or alive, drunk or awake, he carried Ah Ke in his arms toward the large bedroom next to the Sweet Nectar Hall."

...And rape.

"Wei Chunfang complied. When she put down the wine pot, her sleeve covered a dish of sliced ham. Wei Xiaobao smiled and said in his heart, “I am going to eat some ham tonight.” He hastily returned to the room.

Not too long afterwards, Wei Chunfang came back with a plate of sliced ham. She laughed and said, “Little b@stard, when you were dead outside, did you have this kind of good food to eat?” Grinning from ear to ear she sat on the bed, watching her son eating with gusto; she felt better than if she was eating it herself."

But at the same time, the relationship with his mother is both selfless (whether Xiaobao is willing to admit it or not) and heart-warming.

There's a lot of reasons why readers can't stand this book and Xiaobao. But I can't help but feel that his character is absolutely amazing - as much for his negative aspects as for his positive ones.



As for other reunions with moms, there's Duan Yu and Hui Juk as well. I feel that in all of these other cases, the reunions are mostly for plot reasons, but in the Deer and the Cauldron, it's much more for characterization reasons.

[tweety365]

Whoa, so much happening with WXB's short visit to see his mom. Gosh, Ah Ke is such a vengeful idiot. She knows full well she is no match for WXB, but still seek to kill him. All for the sake of pleasing her useless lover. She should have she stayed away and minded her own business.

Thank you, foxs!

[Anh Nam]

Thanks foxs While 3 months vacation sounds good, I would have been bored without you. I am going back to Miami on Wednesday

[smurf120]

I hope these are not spoilers for other series, but I meant mothers that stay alive (although I did forget about SPT - apart from Shi Potian, all the main character mothers that I can recall end up dying before the adventure is over).

I love their relationship - so sweet.

[crazee]

Wow....lots of things going on. Really interesting.

Thanks Foxs, can't wait for next dose,

[foxs]

Toasted, good analysis. But then, his moral value only came from the opera and storytellers; to him yi qi was number one, murder, rape, etc. were not a big deal. Tweety, Smurf, I think this is the only time in the entire novel that we get a glimpse of Mom's character. Anh, have a safe trip home. Crazee, I thought Ah Ke was your favorite ...

---

Within the personal guard squad, only she and Zeng Rou were women dressed as men. These days these two girls were in contact with each other, and were already very close to each other. Wei Xiaobao thought, “If I want to carry Ah Ke back here, Shuang’er alone cannot do it, I must have two persons carrying her. Imperial Envoy Daren cannot do the job himself in front of other people, and I can’t let any personal guard’s stinky hands touch my wife’s fragrant body, can I?” He said, “Very well, you may take her along. Just don’t call those Wangwu Pai people.”

Zeng Rou quickly put on the personal guard uniform and was ready in a short time. Leading the two women and eight personal guards, Wei Xiaobao returned to the Lovely Spring Courtyard. Two personal guards went up to knock on the door, “Canjiang [administrator/colonel] Daren is here,” they shouted, “Quickly open the door and greet him.” The personal guards were instructed to say that Wei Xiaobao was a Canjiang; to scare the brothel proprietress, the turtle, a Canjiang is more than enough.

After beating the door for half a day, the main gate was finally creaking open, a turtle slave came out to meet them. “Visitors!” he shouted. The word was called out in such a bored way.

Wei Xiaobao was afraid he might be recognized, he did not dare to look at the man. A personal guard shouted, “Canjiang Laoye [old master] personally arrived, tell laobao [brothel keeper] to serve him well.”

Wei Xiaobao went to the main hall, the brothel proprietress came out to greet him; she did not even look at Wei Xiaobao as she said, “Laoye please come to the reception pavilion for some tea.”

Wei Xiaobao said in his heart, “It’s best that you did not look at me, so that you won’t recognize me; I also don’t need to see my Ma. I ought to simply tell them to bring Ah Ke and Zheng Keshuang out and leave this place.” However, usually this brothel proprietress was very attentive in receiving the guests, she was even more deferential and polite toward government officials, yet today she was that cold, the way she spoke was very odd, unconsciously he was rather astonished.

When he entered the Sweet Nectar Hall, he saw that the feast had not been cleaned up, Zheng Keshuang was still splaying face up on the chair. He was about to give order when suddenly a man with magnificent attire walked in. “Wei Daren, how are you?” the man said.

Wei Xiaobao was startled. “How did you know me?” he mused, and looked at him. His shock was not a small matter. Immediately he stooped down to pull the dagger from his boot, suddenly his hand tightened; somebody behind him grabbed his wrist, and coldly said, “Sit down nicely, don’t make unnecessary move!” With his left hand the man grabbed the back of Wei Xiaobao’s neck and lifted him up and dropped him into a chair.

Wei Xiaobao groaned secretly. He heard Shuang’er’s tender voice shouting and yelling as she fought the man. Zeng Rou also stepped forward to join the fray. A young master in brocade clothes sent a palm to hack at her, the two of them immediately fought. Wei Xiaobao focused his attention to look, turned out this young master in brocade clothes was a woman dressed as a man, she was none other than Ah Ke’s martial older sister Ah Qi. The man fighting Shuang’er was tall and thin, he was actually Tibetan Lama Sangjie; only right now he was wearing casual clothes, complete with a hat on his head and a fake braid. The first man with magnificent attire was Mongolian Prince Galdan.

“I am too muddleheaded,” Wei Xiaobao mused, “I plainly heard Zheng Keshuang said that they have an appointment with Galdan in here; why didn’t I guard against this? As soon as I saw Ah Ke, I was in a daze that I don’t even remember laozi’s own surname. Damn it, laozi’s surname, I actually do not know; no wonder …”

He heard Shuang’er cried out, “Aiyo,” as the acupoint on her waist was sealed by Sangjie, and she fell to the ground. In the meantime, Zeng Rou was still engaged in fierce battle with Ah Qi. Although Ah Qi’s style was exquisite, her attacks were lacking strength; several times she hit Zeng Rou, but failed to injure her. Sangjie came over, and in just two moves he was able to seal Zeng Rou’s acupoint too. The eight personal guards either had their acupoint sealed by Sangjie, or were killed by Galdan; their bodies were scattered around the courtyard outside the hall.

Sangjie let out a ‘hey, hey’ laugh and sat down. “Wei Daren,” he said, “Where is your Shifu?” While saying that, he stretched out both his hands with the fingers right in front of Wei Xiaobao’s face.

Wei Xiaobao saw that all ten of his fingers were short by one section; human fingers originally have three sections, right now his fingers only have two sections left. It looked extremely strange and scary. Wei Xiaobao groaned inwardly, “That day he flipped through the Sutra, the tips of his fingers were moistened by my poison. This man is unexpectedly very ruthless; he has the heart to cut his own ten fingers. Today laozi has fallen into his hands, if he wants to take revenge, he would chopped all my ten fingers, which is not a big deal; but what if he also want to cut a section of my head?”

Seeing that Wei Xiaobao was so scared that he was merely staring blankly; Sangjie was very proud of himself. “Wei Daren,” he said, “That day I saw you were just a small kid, I did not know that you are a person of high rank within the imperial court; I have offended you much.”

“I don’t dare to accept the honor,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “That day I only thought you were an ordinary Lama, I did not know that you are a really great hero; I have offended you much.”

“Humph,” Sangjie snorted; he asked, “How do you know I am a hero?”

Wei Xiaobao replied, “Someone put violent poison on the Sutra, with the intention of harming my Shifu. Shifu was able to see through the scheme, she did not dare to reach out and touch it. You insisted on looking at the Sutra, my Shifu had no other choice but to give it to you. Great Lama, after your fingers were poisoned, you made prompt decision to chop your fingers at once, it is really amazing! People swipe their own neck to suicide is easy, people chop their own ten fingers, since ancient times there has never been one great hero who done it. Back then Guan Yunchang scraped his bone to remove poison, without knitting a single brow, but it was someone else who scrape his bone for him; for him to chop his own fingers, I don’t think he can do that. You are more formidable than Guan Yunchang; doesn’t it mean that you are a great hero, the first under heaven since ancient times?”

Sangjie was fully aware that Wei Xiaobao was flattering him big time, thinking that he would show leniency toward him, which was no difference than asking Sangjie to spare his life. However, when those words entered his ears, admittedly he enjoyed a comfortable feeling. That day he had to ruthlessly cut his own fingers before he was able to save his own life. Although his pair of hands was mutilated, his martial art skill was greatly reduced, but thinking that in that juncture of life and death he unexpectedly had this kind of courage, he was actually very proud of himself. He took twelve of his martial younger brothers to the Central Plains to seize the ‘Forty-two-chapter Sutra’. The outcome was that all twelve people perished while his pair of hands was mutilated; it was indeed a bad luck. Naturally he never mentioned about this matter to anybody, while there has never been anybody who dared to ask either as why he chopped his own ten fingers. Consequently, it was the very first time that he heard something like what Wei Xiaobao had just said.

Unconsciously, a hint of smile appeared on the Great Lama’s grim face. “Wei Daren,” he said, “We found out that you have graced Yangzhou with your presence; hence we all agreed to meet you here. You especially caused trouble for Ping Xi Wang, spoiling not a few of his, the Senior’s important matters. When the Prince Consort wanted to return to Yunnan to visit his family, he was also blocked by you; is that right?”

Wei Xiaobao said, “Gentlemen’s information is actually very quick, it is indeed incredible! This time I left the Capital, I wonder if Gentlemen knew what His Majesty instructed me to do.”

“Please advise,” Sangjie said.

“With pleasure, with pleasure,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “His Majesty said, ‘Wei Xiaobao, you are going to Yangzhou on a mission, I am afraid Wu Sangui would send people to assassinate you, Zhen [I, imperial use] is somewhat uneasy. Luckily his son is in Zhen’s hands; if you ever meet unexpected misfortune, Zhen will treat this fellow Wu Yingxiong the same as whatever they are doing to you. Wu Sangui sends people to cut the tip of your little finger, inevitable this fellow Wu Yingxiong will also lack the tip of his little finger. That old fellow Wu Sangui sends people to kill you, it’s is equal to killing his own son.’ I said, ‘Your Majesty, I can be anybody’s son, but I definitely don’t want to be Wu Sangui’s son.’ His Majesty roared in laughter. As such, I am coming to Yangzhou.”

Sangjie and Galdan looked at each other, their countenances changed slightly. Sangjie said, “His Highness the Prince and I this time go to Yangzhou to find you, at first we thought that the Imperial Envoy His Majesty sent must be an extraordinary character, who would have thought that when the two of us looked from afar, turned out it was an old acquaintance. Even this Miss Ah Qi also knew you.”

Wei Xiaobao said with a laugh, “We are indeed old friends.”

Ah Qi picked up a chopstick from the table and jabbed it on Wei Xiaobao’s forehead. She spat and said, “Who wants to be old friend with you?”

Sangjie said, “We made appointment to meet Taiwan’s Zheng Er Gongzi [second young master] in here, originally it was to discuss how to deal with you. Who would have thought that you personally came to pay a visit, hence you saved us a lot of trouble.”

“Precisely,” Wei Xiaobao said, “His Majesty interrogated that big beard, the Prince’s subordinate Hantiemo for three days; we know everything.”

When Sangje and Galdan heard the name Hantiemo, they were greatly shocked; they both rose up and asked, “What?”

“It’s nothing really,” Wei Xiaobao said, “His Majesty and Hantiemo talked in Mongolian, jabbering words that I did not understand even one. Afterwards His Majesty bestowed him quite a lot of money, and sent him to the Ministry of War to work for Shangshu Ming Zhu Daren. Less than three days later, he sent me to rush him to draw some maps. This is military stuff; I don’t know anything. I said to His Majesty, ‘Your Majesty, Mongolia and Tibet are too cold, if you want to send troops to fight a war, your servant is considering to have a vacation with you, going to beautiful world of Yangzhou to have a stroll.’”

Galdan’s face showed concern; he asked, “Did you say the young Emperor is going to dispatch troops to attack Mongolia and Tibet?”

Wei Xiaobao shook his head and said, “This kind of matter, I am not really clear. His Majesty said: it would be best if we deal with the old fellow, one person. If Mongolia and Tibet want to help us, then we’ll consider them as friends; if they help the old fellow, there is no other way, we have to gain the initiative by striking first.’”

Sangjie and Galdan looked at each other; they felt relieved, and sat down. Galdan asked about Hantiemo, Wei Xiaobao described his appearance and mannerism vividly and realistically, Galdan and Sangjie could not not believe him. Noticing that these two men were frowning slightly, Wei Xiaobao guessed that as the two of them find out that Hantiemo had surrendered to the Qing, they expected that the collusion between Mongolia, Tibet and Wu Sangui could not be concealed from the young Emperor, hence they were afraid Kangxi would gain the initiative by striking first.

Wei Xiaobao saw Shuang’er and Zeng Rou had their acupoints sealed and were lying on the floor, while most of the eight personal guards had perished. This time he quietly went to the Lovely Spring Courtyard; because he was afraid other people might know his life’s secret, Xu Tianchuan, Zhang Yong, Zhao Qixian, and the others did not know at all. It seems that even if he was chopped into mincemeat, made to be the famous Yangzhou’s lion’s head [i.e. pork meatball], perhaps simmer-fried or steamed in broth, or cooked with crab meat, nobody would come to rescue him. Since he had no way out anyway, he might as well babble anything, it was better than sitting and waiting for death quietly.

“His Majesty heard that Prince Galdan’s martial art skill is superior, that he is an unparalleled hero,” he continued, “He is very full of admiration.”

Galdan smiled and asked, “Did the Emperor also train martial art? How did he know about my martial art?”

“Naturally His Majesty knows martial art,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “And his skill is not bad at all. That day Your Highness fully displaying your capabilities at the Shaolin Temple, you beat Shaolin Temple’s Abbot that he concede defeat. The heads of Damo Hall, Luohan Hall, Bo’re Hall, three great halls, flee at the mere distant sight. Xiongdi told His Majesty everything.” That day Galdan left Shaolin with his tail between his legs, yet right now hearing Wei Xiaobao tooting the horn on his behalf, giving him a lot of face in front of Sangjie, he could not refrain from showing a satisfied look on his face.

Wei Xiaobao continued, “Shaolin Temple Fangzhang [abbot] Hui Cong Dashi’s martial art skill can be considered first or second best in Wulin, but Your Highness the Prince merely flicked your sleeve and Hui Cong Fangzhang could not hold his stand and fell sitting down. Fortunately when he fell, his buttocks happened to land on a putuan [round meditation mat used by Buddhists], hence he was saved from breaking a few of his old bones …” Actually, it was Galdan who was brushed by Hui Cong’s sleeve that day, so that he landed on a chair and was unable to stand up; Wei Xiaobao turned the story around. He said in his heart, “Hui Cong Shixiong treatment to me was not bad, but today as his Shidi I am facing a calamity, in a moment I will die in a sitting posture [referring to Buddhism death] and leave for the Western Paradise. I have no choice but to treat emptiness as appearance, and appearance as emptiness; Shixiong’s victory as defeat, and other people’s defeat as victory.”

While his mouth was babbling nonsense, in his heart he let his imagination run wild, his eyes looked to the east and gazed to the west. In a glance he saw Ah Qi’s expression; she seemed to be smiling yet she was not exactly smiling, her pair of beautiful eyes was fixed at Galdan’s face, her gaze was brimming with affection.

EDIT: Ycb, I saw your post on the WHD thread. Thanks for leaving your comment. Just a reminder, it was not Jin Yong's ...

[smurf120]

Even WXB admits that he loses his mind every time she is around. Good thing she is knocked out right now or else his performance with the Tibetan and Mongolian might not be as good.

"He said in his heart, “Hui Cong Shixiong treatment to me was not bad, but today as his Shidi I am facing a calamity, in a moment I will die in a sitting posture [referring to Buddhism death] and leave for the Western Paradise. I have no choice but to treat emptiness as appearance, and appearance as emptiness; Shixiong’s victory as defeat, and other people’s defeat as victory.”

LOL He bastardizes Buddhist philosophy to justify his case...

[Anh Nam]

Thanks Foxs

[tweety365]

Wei Xiaobao replied, “Someone put violent poison on the Sutra, with the intention of harming my Shifu. Shifu was able to see through the scheme, she did not dare to reach out and touch it. You insisted on looking at the Sutra, my Shifu had no other choice but to give it to you. Great Lama, after your fingers were poisoned, you made prompt decision to chop your fingers at once, it is really amazing! People swipe their own neck to suicide is easy, people chop their own ten fingers, since ancient times there has never been one great hero who done it. Back then Guan Yunchang scraped his bone to remove poison, without knitting a single brow, but it was someone else who scrape his bone for him; for him to chop his own fingers, I don’t think he can do that. You are more formidable than Guan Yunchang; doesn’t it mean that you are a great hero, the first under heaven since ancient times?”

Even knowing that WXB is bootlicking, this statement of his makes total sense. If I were Sangjie, I would be flattered by his compliment too!

Thank you, foxs.

[crazee]

Crazee, I thought Ah Ke was your favorite ...

Thanks Foxs......hey how come you're so good at reading my secrets ??? Thanks.

Well, being a hot blooded dirty old man......wow, a woman that generals and kings die for's daughter....can't do to badly...eh ?? and If our master bootlicking kungfu hero can commit errors after errors...wow, double wow....what a character.....

Imagine over such love rival's spat, one can go to such extreme....sigh, I thot, "Hell had no fury like a woman scorned" .....in this case..it way the opposite.

Now we really get to see the perfected skill of turning over the tide...errr or is it the tables ? Oh my, Ah Ke's making my mind muddled too....
It's actually true, how some praise can do wonders...Oh, XB,

Itching to read more, shucks all I see is the back of my notebook when I turn the screen over for the next page heh heh heh, if you get what I mean....

[foxs]

Smurf, that's what he was good at. Anh, you must be home by now. Tweety, you are right. It took guts. Crazee, you are funny ... here's some more.

---

Wei Xiaobao had a sudden inspiration, “This wicked girl wants to be Mongolian Princess.” Thereupon he said, “His Majesty said, ‘Prince Galdan’s martial art skill is high, his appearance is handsome; if he wants to take a Princess, he ought to marry young, good looking, as well as with high level of martial art skill Miss …” Stealing a glance toward Ah Qi, sure enough, he noticed that her face was blushing; it was obvious from her expression that she was paying full attention; hence he continued, “Although that Chen Yuanyuan is known as the first beauty under the heavens, but right now she is older; I wonder why Galdan is determined to marry her?”

Ah Qi could not bear not to talk, “Who said he wanted to marry Chen Yuanyuan? You are talking nonsense!”

Galdan shook his head, “How can there be such thing?” he said.

“That’s right,” Wei Xiaobao said, “I said, ‘Reporting to Your Majesty: His Highness Prince Galdan has a very good lady friend, called Miss Ah Qi …’”

Ah Qi spat, but her face looked very happy; Galdan cast her a glance with a smile on his face. Wei Xiaobao continued, “… This Miss Ah Qi’s martial art skill is number three in the world, she is only below Great Lama Sangjie and His Highness Prince Galdan. Compared to Your Majesty, hee hee … she is still a bit stronger. Your servant is telling the truth, Your Majesty must not take offense …’”

At first Sangjie was somewhat bored listening to his babbling, but when he heard that unexpectedly Wei Xiaobao told the Emperor that Sangjie’s martial art skill was the first under the heavens, he knew perfectly well that out of ten words that this little demon said, he ought not believe even half a word; yet he could not help feeling happy and content. His nose made a snort though, hinting that he did not believe him.

Wei Xiaobao continued, “His Majesty said, ‘I don’t believe you. Even if this young lady’s martial art was stronger, can it be that she is superior to her Shifu?’ I said, ‘His Majety did not know this, but this young lady’s Shifu is a Buddhist nun wearing white clothes, her martial art skill was actually very strong, she could be considered number three in the world. However, once upon a time, during a duel against Great Lama Sangjie, she was struck by Great Lama Sangjie’s palm. The Shitai could not resist, the entire internal energy in her body disappeared without any trace. Therefore, the title of number three martial artist in the world was snatched by her disciple.’”

When Ah Qi heard him exposing her school background, she was surprised and baffled, “How did he know my Shifu?” she mused.

Although Sangjie had not personally fought with Jiu Nan, his twelve martial brothers all died a violent death under her, master and disciples’ hands; it was really an extraordinary shame and disappointment of his life. This moment as he heard Wei Xiaobao asserted that Jiu Nan was struck by his palm that her internal energy dissipated, he knew that Wei Xiaobao was sticking a lot of gold on his face. Previously he and Galdan were most worried that Wei Xiaobao would unmask their disgrace, and thus both of them were thinking to kill this man as quickly as possible to close his mouth; but when they heard that he had reversed their great defeat into great victory, they thought that there was no harm in letting him live a bit longer.

Sangjie turned his gaze toward Ah Qi for a moment; he thought, “This is the first time that I knew that you are the little nun in white’s disciple. There is something odd here.”

Ah Qi asked, “You mentioned Chen Yuanyuan; what about her?”

Wei Xiaobao said, “That Chen Yuanyuan, I have seen her with my own eyes in Kunming. To tell Miss the truth, she is quite much older than I am; however, the title ‘number one beauty under the heavens’ [tian xia di yi mei ren] six characters is indeed not in vain. When I saw her, immediately my soul flew out, my hands and feet ice-cold, I shook all over, my heart said, ‘How can there be such a beauty in the world?’ Miss Ah Qi, your Shimei Ah Ke can be considered very beautiful, but compared to this Chen Yuanyuan, her appearance and her physique, she is far too inferior.”

Naturally Ah Qi knew that Ah Ke was stunningly beautiful, she was far above her; she also knew that Wei Xiaobao was ‘spirit and soul upside-down’ toward Ah Ke. If even he could say those words, very likely it was the truth. But in her mouth she still said she was unconvinced, “You, little kid, is a little lecher, looking at people’s thirty-percent good looks, you said she was a hundred percent beauty. Chen Yuanyuan is at least forty years old this year, even if she was previously good-looking, nowadays she can’t be that beautiful.”

Wei Xiaobao repeatedly shook his head. “Not right, not right,” he said, “Just look at you, Miss Ah Qi. This year you are no more than eighteen, nineteen years old; it’s only natural that you are exceedingly beautiful. In thirty more years, definitely you will still be extremely beautiful. If you don’t believe me, you and I can make a bet. If after thirty years your appearance is not beautiful, I will cut my head for you.”

Ah Qi giggled. Any woman who hears other people call her beautiful will be delighted, especially if she was praised in front of her boyfriend, she would burst with joy even more. Much less she had quite a confidence in her own beauty to begin with, she believed that after thirty years, she could not possibly be a lot more ugly.

Wei Xiaobao was hoping that she would accept the bet, so that Galdan would perhaps look at his beloved’s face and let Wei Xiaobao live thirty more years; when that time comes, it would not be too late to decide victory or defeat. Unexpectedly Sangjie snorted and said with a cold laugh, “Too bad you won’t live pass tonight. Miss Ah Qi’s beautiful appearance thirty years later, you won’t have the good fortune of seeing.”

Wei Xiaobao giggled and said, “That’s not a big deal. I only hope that Great Lama and Your Highness the Prince will remember what I said tonight, thirty years from today, you will know that Wei Xiaobao already had the foreknowledge.” Sangjie, Galdan and Ah Qi, three people, could not bear not to burst into laughter.

Wei Xiaobao said, “I went to Kunming; that was a matter of several months ago; I escorted Princess Jianning to marry Wu Sangui’s son, the three of you already knew. It was originally a very happy occasion, but as soon as I entered the city of Kunming, I saw people crying and wailing loudly on the streets. Not several houses later, I saw a coffin; there were many women and children in mourning clothes, they cried until the sky darkened and the earth black.”

“Why is that?” Galdan and Ah Qi asked together.

“I also felt it was very strange,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “I asked Yunnan’s officer, everybody hummed and hawed but nobody gave me any answer. Afterwards I sent my personal guard to make discreet inquiry, and only then did I find out. Turns out early that morning Chen Yuanyuan learned about the arrival of the Princess, she wanted to personally welcome her. When she came out of the sedan chair, more than a hundred thousand Kunming men went wild; everybody rushed forward to see her, they all said that a celestial fairy has descended to the world of the immortals. You pushed, I throng forward, several thousand men were trampled to death. At first the military officers and soldiers under Ping Xi Wang’s command desperately tried to suppress the disturbance, but later on they saw Chen Yuanyuan, everybody’s sword and spear all fell to the ground; their jaw dropped, their mouth watered as they have their eyes fixed at Chen Yuanyuan.”

Sangjie, Galdan and Ah Qi, three people, were ‘you look at me, I look at you’, while thinking, “This child definitely added oil and soya paste in his speech, but perhaps Chen Yuanyuan’s beauty is indeed out of the ordinary. It would be good if I can see it myself.”

Seeing that the three of them were gradually convinced, Wei Xiaobao said, “Your Highness the Prince, Ping Xi Wang has a zongbing under his command by the name of Ma Bao; have you heard this name before?”

Galdan and Ah Qi nodded. The two of them went together with Ma Bao to the Shaolin Temple, how could they not know? Galdan said, “That day at Shaolin Temple, you have also met him.”

“Was it he?” Wei Xiaobao said, “I don’t remember. That day I was only paying attention to Your Highness the Prince’s obviously marvelous skill, beating Shaolin Temple’s eminent monks, I did not have time to look at other people. Even if I did have a bit of free time, I would rather steal several glances toward Miss Ah Qi’s countenance of a flower, face like the moon.” Ah Qi spat, but in her heart she was very happy.

“What about Ma Zongbing?” Galdan asked.

Wei Xiaobao sighed. He said, “Ma Zongbing was part of the problem that day. He received Ping Xi Wang’s order to protect Chen Yuanyuan, who would have thought that as he looked at Chen Yuanyuan several times, unexpectedly he was also in a daze, and went as far as stroking her white and tender little hand. Afterwards Ping Xi Wang found out about it, and had him flogged forty times with army club. Ma Zongbing quietly told other people: ‘I stroked Chen Yuanyuan’s left hand, actually I expected Wangye to cut my hand. If I had known that I only got forty army-club floggings, I would have stroke her right hand too. Eighty floggings will not necessarily kill me.’ Under his command, Ping Xi Wang altogether has ten big zongbing, the other nine zongbing were really envious. These words of him were passed on to Ping Xi Wang, in turn, he passed on a military order: henceforth whoever stroke Chen Yuanyuan’s hand will have both his hands chopped. Ping Xi Wang’s son-in-law Xia Guoxiang was one of the ten big zongbing, right away he had a master artisan to create a pair of fake hands. He said that every now and then he might see this fairy-like mother-in-law, just in case he could not bear not to touch her hand, he might as well make false hands first, in case when that happens he did not have time to have the hands made to order. This is called ‘anticipating trouble’.”

Galdan was listening with his mouth open and his eyes staring blankly as if he was entranced. Sangjie repeatedly shook his head and said, “Absurd, absurd!” But it was unclear whether he meant the ten big regional commanders were absurd, or that Wei Xiaobao’s story was absurd.

“You have seen Chen Yuanyuan,” Ah Qi said, “How come you did not stroke her hand?”

“There is a reason behind it,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “Before I went to see Chen Yuanyuan, Wu Yingxiong came to see me first, he said that I have travelled thousands of li to deliver the Princess to be his wife, he was very grateful. From his bosom he took out something, it was shiny yellow, fully inlaid with emerald, beautiful jade, ruby and kitten eyes; turned out it was a golden manacles.”

“How can manacles be that precious?” Ah Qi asked.

“That’s right,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “At that time I asked him what kind of toy was that; I thought he was going to give it to me as a present. Who would have thought that ‘clack’, he shackled my hands. I was gobsmacked. ‘Prince Consort’, I cried out, ‘Why are you arresting me? What crime did I commit?’ Wu Yingxiong said, ‘Imperial Envoy Daren, you must not misunderstand, Xiongdi only has good intention toward you. You are going to see my Chen Yiniang [father’s concubine], you simply must wear this manacles, in case you cannot restraint yourself and reach out to touch her. If you only touch her hand, Fu Wang [father king] may look at your face as the Imperial Envoy Daren, and may not do anything. But I am afraid you will touch her once, touch her twice, touch her three times or more. Fu Wang will inevitably commit major offense by killing Imperial Envoy Daren. While admittedly it was Daren who was being improper, our Wu family will be ruined.’ I was so scared that I wore the manacles to see Chen Yuanyuan.”

The more Ah Qi listened, the more she thought it was ridiculous. “I don’t believe you,” she said.

“Next time you go to Beijing,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Ask Wu Yingxiong to show you these golden manacles, then you cannot not believe. He always has it with him, so that as soon as he sees Chen Yuanyuan he can immediately take it out and put it on. If he was one step slower, it would be desperately serious.”

“Humph,” Sangjie said, “Chen Yuanyuan is his shu mu [concubine mother], could it be that he has the audacity to be impolite to her?”

“Naturally he doesn’t,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “And that’s exactly why he is carrying the golden manacles.”

Ah Qi said, “He is in Beijing now, why would he want to carry it?”

Wei Xiaobao was startled; he mused, “Bad! The horn I tooted is broken.” But his brain could move very fast; he said at once, “Wu Yingxiong was thinking of returning to Kunming immediately, he did not expect to stay in Beijing for long. He stayed in Beijing against his will.”

Sangjie glowered at him and said, “In that case, you repay kindness with evil. Others lent you manacles, showing you a lot of friendship, but you stopped him, you did not let him return to Yunnan.”

Wei Xiaobao shook his head, “What kindness did Wu Yingxiong show to me? He and I have an enmity that we cannot live under the same sky.”

Sangjie was surprised, “What did he do to offend you?” he asked.

“Why hasn’t he offended me?” Wei Xiaobao said, “He loaned the manacles to me, it was more malicious than having my laozi [in this case, old man, father] killed. At that time, if I did not wear that manacles, I would have touched even Chen Yuanyuan’s face. Ay, Great Lama, Your Highness the Prince, at that time, if only I could touch Chen Yuanyuan’s face, which is ten thousand times more beautiful than the petal of a flower, what do I care even if Wu Sangui chopped both of my hands? Even if he chopped both of my legs to be made Yunnan’s Xuanwei Ham, I consider it nothing.”

Three people’s thoughts flew to the southern sky, imagining Chen Yuanyuan’s peerless glowing countenance; listening to Wei Xiaobao, unexpectedly they did not laugh.

Wei Xiaobao lowered his voice and with a mysterious expression he said, “I have a very top secret, the three of you must not divulge it. Actually I should not say it, but the opportunity to chat amiably with you is very rare; there is no harm in telling our own people.”

“What secret?” Galdan hastily asked.

Wei Xiaobao lowered his voice even more, “His Majesty is about to move an army and send a general to attack Wu Sangui.”

Sangjie and the others, three people, looked at each other and laugh; they all thought, “What kind of secret is that? If the Emperor does not attack Wu Sangui, Wu Sangui will deploy his troops to attack the Emperor.”

“Do you know why the Emperor is deploying his troops to Yunnan?” Wei Xiaobao asked, “This is rather difficult to guess.”

“Could it be also because of Chen Yuanyuan?” Ah Qi asked.

Wei Xiaobao slapped the table, he appeared extremely amazed. “Uh! How did you know?” he asked.

“Casual guess,” Ah Qi replied.

[Eagle]

Thank you Foxs. Guess the 3 of them will ask Wei Xiaobao to take them to see Chen Yuanyuan in person

[smurf120]

WXB is banking on CYY's reputation as the great downfall of lords.

The story he concocted is really too amazing.... I actually held my breath to see if they would start attacking him then expect him to get out of the jam some other way.

[aliderhamy]

quitely watching and enjoying these updates...

thanks FOXS

[crazee]

Woooo...here we go...this is great. reading the master story teller telling tales with salt, pepper,chilli and all in it. It's amazing, knowing that XB is such a fibber and sly they somehow get hooked by praises and "let me tell you a secret" trick. Better than master kung fu master....

Thanks foxs....beautiful translation and lovely story....by a master translator. ( honestly, I'm still wondering how you can do such translation that captures all the essence and taste of the story. )