Thread: The Deer and The Cauldron

  1. #2561
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    Quote Originally Posted by foxs View Post
    [3] I don’t know how to translate this without sounding strange: Han Sha She Ying, ‘han’ – to suck, to keep in the mouth, ‘sha’ – sand/grain, ‘she’ – shoot, ‘ying’ – shadow; ‘shooting shadow of the sands from the mouth’? Interestingly, the dictionary has special definition for ‘han sha she ying’: to attack someone by innuendo/to insinuate.
    This is an interesting chengyu. The 'han sha' means to 'hold sand in your mouth', the 'she ying' is 'to shoot at shadows'. According to legend there was a creature that used to hold sand in its mouth and would shoot at someone's shadow, causing illness in the person. The saying means 'to secretly plot or harm someone'. This is a pretty good name for a hidden projectile weapon!

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    Senior Member smurf120's Avatar
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    I nominate the Gui's to be continuously the most useless group of people in JY's universe yet still be considered "heroes".

    I know they have no formal linkage to each other but I always fathomed Hou Tieshou was descendant of Lan Feng Huang - Blue Phoenix (in SPW).

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    Quote Originally Posted by foxs View Post
    Pannonian, OK, you get me, where did that passage come from? (I have a feeling it might be your own invention ... like Gulongization and that llama story)
    I just copied and pasted it from the yellow dressed lady's first appearance in HSDS. Swap Xu Tianchuan with Chen Youliang, Feng Xifan with Cheng Kun, Wei Xiaobao with Zhang Wuji.

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    Quote Originally Posted by foxs View Post
    Toasted, thanks. The book did say 30 years. Usually I checked the book, but it has been so long without any glitch, I became complacent.
    My copy still says 40 years.

    Quote Originally Posted by foxs View Post
    The woman said, “You mixed your not-up-to-the-task knock-out drug in the tea, others are eighty-year old Jianghu veteran, would he simply being a muddle head and drink it? That is the cheap trick used by black inn criminals. If you want to use poison, you must use first-class one.”

    Wei Xiaobao was surprised and delighted at the same time. “Turns out … turns out Popo Jiejie replaced it with first-class poison,” he said.

    “Rubbish!” the woman said, “I did not replace it. Gui Shibo and the others were tired, they had headache and passed out; what do I have to do with it? One is a tuberculosis ghost, the others are eighty years old Lao Gonggong and Lao Popo, they suddenly fainted; what’s so strange about it?” Her mouth was speaking in deadly earnest, but her eyes were gleaming with mischievous looks.
    Why He Tishou is awesome: Exhibit A. I love that she's been wanting to poison people for three decades now, and only gets a chance now. I don't remember if it's ever mentioned in the Deer and the Cauldron, but He Tishou and Yuan Chengzhi (and Qingqing) now live in Brunei.

    Quote Originally Posted by foxs View Post
    The woman laughed and said, “Look carefully.” With her left hand she pulled her right sleeve to expose a snow white upper arm, but it was cut at the wrist, there was no hand at all, the iron hook was fastened onto her wrist. “If you want to be my disciple,” the woman said, “I have no reason not to accept you, you simply need to cut your hand, then I’ll give you an iron hook.”
    A blatant lie since she's now in the Hua Shan sect.

    Quote Originally Posted by foxs View Post
    He Tishou’s face blushed slightly. “Pei!” she spat, “There’s no such thing. Don’t talk rubbish. If my Shiniang [Shifu’s wife] heard it, she would definitely cut half of your tongue.”

    Of course Wei Xiaobao would have never guessed that the one He Tishou secretly fell in love with was actually this Shiniang, a woman who dressed as a man. Now that this teenager suddenly disclosed the content of her heart, although it was a matter of several decades ago, He Tishou still could not stop her face from blushing.
    This is changed in the third edition, and I wonder what the new version says. The previous link to the third edition books is now dead, so does anyone have another link?


    Quote Originally Posted by sablemagi View Post
    side note: i wonder how old leader hong of the shen long jiao ranks among these people.
    It's a pretty hotly debated topic, but I think the consensus is that Gui Xinshu and Hong Antong are at the top. Depending on how good Yuan Chengzhi is as a teacher, He Tishou should be right behind them.

    Quote Originally Posted by CFT View Post
    This is a pretty good name for a hidden projectile weapon!
    Unfortunately, like a lot of Jin Yong's best prose, it doesn't translate very well.

    Quote Originally Posted by smurf120 View Post
    I nominate the Gui's to be continuously the most useless group of people in JY's universe yet still be considered "heroes".
    Their students are even worse! I guess it doesn't help that they're always set up as antagonists whenever they show up. Presumably, the Guis are way nicer off-screen.

    Quote Originally Posted by smurf120 View Post
    I know they have no formal linkage to each other but I always fathomed Hou Tieshou was descendant of Lan Feng Huang - Blue Phoenix (in SPW).
    You know, I always thought that they were in the same cult until I looked it up just now. Then again, the name could have changed over the decades/centuries since SPW.

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    Thanks foxs
    The day after the tropical storm our street flooded from rain. We are all OK and there is not much damage in Miami.

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    Quote Originally Posted by smurf120 View Post
    I nominate the Gui's to be continuously the most useless group of people in JY's universe yet still be considered "heroes".
    They are unable to accomplish anything but liable to spoil everything.
    You plant a garden and the flowers do not bloom, you poke a stick in the mud and it grows into a tree

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    wow I didn't know the poison girl reappear in this series. that's pretty kewl.
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    Default Chapter 41 - Part 7

    CFT, thanks for your input. Smurf, they were both of Miao tribe, so perhaps you are right. Pannonian, you are so creative. Toasted, I have the book, and although it does not explicitly say '3rd edition', we agreed awhile back that it is the '3rd edition'. Jin Yong merely deleted the reference about 'woman dressed as a man'. Thanks for helping checking against the 3rd edition. Anh, glad you are OK. Last I heard it headed toward Louisiana. Ace, they were 'heroes' simply because of their martial art ability. I agree, it sounds absurd. Wandering, which other 'series' are you referring to?


    ‘Shua!’ Priest Xuanzhen pulled the saber hanging on his waist and said, “I’ll kill this servant to avenge Wu Dage, let that woman kill me.”

    “Hold on!” Li Lishi said, “We must ask clearly first, and then we’ll kill the three of them together.”

    “Right!” Wei Xiaobao said, “That Popo Jiejie is afraid of her Shibo. If we eliminate her Shibo and Shibo’s wife altogether, it should be all right. Shuang’er, go get a pot of cold water, but don’t get the poisoned water from the kitchen.”

    Shuang’er went in and came back with a large basin of cold water. Xu Tianchuan took the basin and slowly poured the cold water onto Gui Zhong’s head. Gui Zhong sneezed several times and slowly opened his eyes. As soon as he tried to move, he realized that his hands and feet were bound, and the acupoint on his waist was sealed. “Who?” he said furiously, “Who is joking with me?”

    Xuanzhen lightly tapped the blade of his saber on his face and swore, “Your ancestor is joking with you.” Pointing to Wu Liuqi’s head, he asked, “Did you kill this man?”

    “Correct!” Gui Zhong replied, “Mama, Daddy, where are you?” He turned around and saw his father and mother were also bound; he was so scared that he almost cried. In all his life he had always followed his father and mother, everything happened as he wished, he had never experienced any setback; when did he ever experience such scary situation? With a sullen expression he said, “You … what are you doing? You cannot beat me, why … why did you tie me up? Why did you tie my Daddy, my Mama?”

    Xu Tianchuan raised his hand and slapped him on the face with the back of his palm, “How did you kill this man?” he shouted, “Quickly tell us, if there is half a word of lies, I will poke your eyes blind immediately.” While saying that he raised his saber and pointed the tip toward Gui Zhong’s right eye.

    Gui Zhong was scared out of his wits; he coughed continuously as he said, “I … I’ll talk … don’t poke my eye blind. If I am blind, I can’t see … can’t see … (cough, cough) … (cough, cough) … Ping Xi Wang said that Tatar Emperor is a big, big ‘bad egg’; he occupies … occupies our … our Great Ming’s rivers and mountains. He asked me to … to kill Tatar Emperor …”

    Tian Di Hui warriors looked at each other in dismay; they all thought, “What he said is not wrong.”

    But Wei Xiaobao flatly refused to accept. “Hot piece Mama,” he cursed, “Wu Sangui is a damn good thing?”

    Gui Zhong said, “Ping Xi Wang is your Bofu; he … he … he is not a good thing, then you are not a good thing either.”

    Wei Xiaobao kicked him heavily; he cursed, “Nonsense! Wu Sangui is a big traitor, how can he be Laozi’s uncle? Wu Sangui is your uncle!”

    Gui Zhong yelled, “You said it yourself. Aiyo, so you want to renege on your words? I don’t come, I don’t come!” [renege – 赖 ‘lai’, come - 来 ‘lai’]

    Seeing him muddling things together, Li Lishi asked, “Wu Sangui asked you to kill Tatar Emperor, why did you kill him then?” While saying that, he pointed to Wu Liuqi’s severed head.

    Gui Zhong said, “This man was high-ranking officer of Guangdong, Ping Xi Wang said that he was a big traitor, who determined to protect the Emperor. Ping Xi Wang wanted to move the troops to attack Guangdong, hence he must have him killed first. Ping Xi Wang gave me a lot of tonic to treat my coughing, he also gave me the white tiger skin. My Ma said that big traitor must be killed. (Cough, cough) … this man’s martial art skill was very good, I … my Ma and me fought him together before he could kill him. You must quickly let me go, release my Dad, my Ma. We are going to Beijing to kill Tatar Emperor, it will be an enormous service …”

    Wei Xiaobao cursed, “Killing the Emperor is not for you, a tuberculosis ghost, to do. All Gege, let’s kill these three fellows. I will deal with Popo Jiejie later.”

    Suddenly they heard outside the manor several dozen people shouted together, “Tuberculosis ghost, get out quickly, we’ll hack you to pieces to avenge Wu Dage!” In front of the manor, behind the manor, they heard people all around; even all over the roof there were people shouting and yelling; apparently the manor was surrounded on all directions.

    Hearing the incoming people were going to avenge Wu Liuqi, Tian Di Hui warriors knew those people were on their side; in their hearts they were delighted. Qian Laoben called loudly, “Ming restore Qing fought, mother Earth father Heaven. [ming fu qing fan, mu di fu tian – see also Chapter 33, casino scene.] I wonder which peaceful rudder road the friends outside belong to?”

    Tian Di Hui slogan was ‘Heaven is my father, Earth is my mother, Fighting the Qing, Restoring the Ming’ [tian fu di mu, fan Qing fu Ming], but in front of unidentified people, these eight characters were reversed. If they were their own Society’s brethren, they would know how to respond; if it were outsiders, the opposite party would not know what they were talking about, hence their real identity would not be exposed.

    There were seventeen or eighteen people outside, as well as on the roof of the manor, responding in chorus, “The earth shook the high ridge, a row of mountain creeks gracefully flow for all eternity.”

    The warriors in the hall called out, “Morning gate facing the ocean, the water of the Three Rivers flows for ten thousand years.”

    Someone on the roof asked, “Brothers from which Hall are in here?”

    Qian Laoben replied, “Green Wood Hall brothers welcome our older brothers. Gege from which Hall have arrived?”

    The door to the hall opened, someone came in and called, “Xiaobao, are you here?” This man was tall and slim, his expression elegant, he was none other than Tian Di Hui Zongduozhu Chen Jinnan.

    Wei Xiaobao was greatly delighted; he rushed forward and kneeled down. “Shifu, Shifu,” he called repeatedly.

    “Everybody is well!” Chen Jinnan said, “Unfortunately …” Seeing Wu Liuqi’s severed head on the table he rushed over; he propped himself against the table and was overcome with grief, tears streamed down his face.

    One after another people came into the hall; Guangxi’s Latter Family Hall Xiangzhu Ma Chaoxing, Guizhou’s Scarlet Fire Hall Xiangzhu Gu Zhizhong, and the others were there. When they saw Gui Zhong, they all pulled their sabers. There were more than twenty Guangdong’s Great Obedience Hall brethren in there, their hatred had reached the extreme. Seeing all these people had fiendish expression on their face, Gui Zhong coughed twice, and then he passed out.

    Chen Jinnan turned around and asked, “Xiaobao, how did you all capture these three evil thieves?”

    Thereupon Wei Xiaobao narrated what they had been through; naturally he skipped the shameful matters where Gui Zhong was amusing himself by playing with Xu Tianchuan and the others and where he was pretending to be Wu Zhirong. Finally he said, “These three evil thieves’ martial art is very formidable, we were no match for them, fortunately there was one Popo Jiejie who came to our rescue before we were able to capture them. However, Popo Jiejie also said that this old man is her Shibo, hence she did not allow us to kill him to avenge Wu Dage.”

    Chen Jinnan frowned. “What Popo Jiejie?” he asked.

    “Although based on her age she is a Popo, her appearance looks like a Jiejie, hence I call her Popo Jiejie,” Wei Xiaobao explained.

    “Where is she?” Chen Jinnan asked.

    “She is hiding in the back,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “She is unwilling to meet her Shibo. Shifu, Gu Dage, Ma Dage, how did all of you get here?”

    Chen Jinnan said, “This evil thief harmed Wu Dage, as soon as we received the news, we all pursued to four sides eight directions.”

    The Green Wood Hall warriors and the incoming people greeted each other; turned out there were brothers from all the Halls in Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Hunan and Anhui, most of them were guarding outside all around the manor. Gu Zhizhong and Ma Chaoxing said, “Wei Xiongdi has rendered this great merit once again, Wu Dage’s spirit in Heaven will definitely feel deeply grateful.”

    Wei Xiaobao said, “Wu Dage treated me very well, avenging him is something that I ought to do.”

    Li Lishi said, “Reporting to Zongduozhu: this evil thief has just said that they are going to Beijing to assassinate the Tatar Emperor, he also mentioned some Fighting the Qing, Restoring the Ming matters, I don’t know the real story behind it.”

    “What real story?” Wei Xiaobao said, “He was afraid we might kill him, hence he spoke some nonsense. He is wearing this white tiger skin, which was given by Wu Sangui. How can there be any good thing among Wu Sangui’s pig friends and dog companions? We’d better open these three evil thieves’ chests and scoop out their hearts to avenge Wu Dage, end of story.”

    “Wake these three people up,” Chen Jinnan said, “We’ll ask them clearly.”

    Shuang’er fetched another bucket of cold water and doused Gui Xinshu, husband and wife, as well as Gui Zhong to wake them up. As soon as Gui Erniang [second lady] awoke, she cursed and swore, saying that putting poison to drug people was Jianghu’s despicable and shameless shady business; but Gui Xinshu did not say a word.

    Chen Jinnan said, “Looking at your skill, you are not a nobody. What’s your name? What enmity did you have against our Wu Liuqi, Wu Dage? Why did you commit evil scheme and harm his life?”

    Gui Erniang angrily said, “You are stinky stuff, shameless little thieves who drugged people, do you think you fit to ask Laoniang’s [old lady] name and surname?”

    Gu Zhizhong raised his saber threateningly, Gui Erniang was hot-headed, her cursing became even more vile.

    “Shifu,” Wei Xiaobao said, “They are surnamed Gui, the ‘gui’ of ‘wugui’ [turtle]; two old turtles and one little turtle. Let me kill the little turtle first and then we’ll talk.” Pulling his dagger, he pointed the tip to Gui Zhong’s throat.

    Seeing Wei Xiaobao was going to kill her son, Gui Erniang panicked. “Little demon,” she called out, “If you have guts, come and kill Laoniang; just don’t touch a single strand of my child’s hair.”

    “But I love to kill little turtle,” Wei Xiaobao replied. He lightly pushed the tip of his dagger into Gui Zhong’s throat. The dagger was extremely sharp, although the push was very light, Gui Zhong’s throat immediately spewed blood.

    “Ma,” he cried loudly, “He … he is killing me.”

    “Don’t … don’t kill my child!” Gui Erniang shouted.

    Wei Xiaobao said, “My Shifu asks you a question, you obediently answer. Within an hour, your tuberculosis ghost son will not die.”

    “My child is not sick,” Gui Erniang angrily said, “You are the tuberculosis ghost.” But hearing that Wei Xiaobao promised not to kill her son for the time being, she felt relieved instantly.

    Wei Xiaobao pretended to cough; imitating Gui Zhong’s accent he said, “Ma, I … I … (cough, cough) … I almost die … Good Mama, quickly answer them truthfully … (cough, cough) … (cough, cough) … I don’t have tuberculosis, I am suffering from broken-steel-blade sickness … (cough, cough) … also from dagger-penetrating-the-throat illness, whole-body-become-mincemeat illness … (cough, cough) …”

    He had an uncanny ability to imitate people’s accent that Gui Erniang was absolutely horrified. “Don’t talk like that! Don’t imitate my child!” she yelled.

    Wei Xiaobao continued, “Ma, if you don’t answer their questions, I … I … (cough, cough) … I will also contact the belly-cut-open sickness, intestines-flowing-out illness …” While saying that, he pulled open Gui Zhong’s robe and moved his dagger back and forth in front of Gui Zhong’s scrawny chest.

    Gui Erniang could not bear any longer. “Alright!” she said, “We belong to Huashan Pai, our family is known as Shen Quan Wu Di [divine fist without equal] Gui Er Xia [second hero]. When our prestige was shaking the Central Plains, you, this bunch of little hairy thieves have not been reincarnated.”

    Hearing that these two were unexpectedly the famous Shen Quan Wu Di Gui Xinshu, husband and wife, Chen Jinnan could not help but feel deep veneration toward them. He also remembered how established Wu Liuqi’s martial art skill was. According to the Great Obedience Hall brethren who witnessed how he was harmed by this people, only the old woman and the tuberculosis ghost went into action, yet they were able to overthrow a dozen or more Great Obedience Hall’s martial art experts. The two of them attacked Wu Liuqi together and killed him, cut his head. These people were not impostors. Divine Fist Without Equal Gui Xinshu had become famous for a long time, but for the last several decades their movement in Jianghu was never heard. It was unclear how they were involved in this terrible tragedy; there must be a strong reason behind it.

    Immediately Chen Jinnan stepped forward to bow with cupped fist in front of Gui Xinshu; he said, “Turns out you are Huashan’s Shen Quan Wu Di Gui Er Xia husband and wife. Xiaoren Chen Jinnan, indeed I have been lacking in manners.” Reaching out, he pulled and broke the ropes binding Gui Xinshu, and then he also massaged his back and his waist to unseal his acupoints. Turning around, he also pulled and broke the ropes binding Gui Erniang and Gui Zhong.

    Wei Xiaobao was greatly worried. “Shifu,” he said, “These three people are very formidable; we must not release them.”

    Chen Jinnan smiled and said, “Gui Erniang scolded us for using knockout drug, which is the conduct of Jianghu’s despicable low-class people. We, Tian Di Hui, have never used knockout drug. Even if we did, Gui Er Xia’s internal energy is very profound, how can despicable low-class people’s knockout drug affect him, the Senior …”

    “Right, right,” Wei Xiaobao said, “We, Tian Di Hui, did not use the knockout drug.” He thought that since the drug came from Popo Jiejie, and it was she who swapped it, technically they could not be considered drugged by Tian Di Hui. Besides, the drug was really not a knockout drug.

    Gui Xinshu’s left hand brushed off his wife and son’s backs to unseal their acupoints. His technique was a lot faster than Chen Jinnan’s. He nodded and said, “It was not an ordinary knockout drug; it was a lot more powerful drug.” He stretched out his hand to feel his son’s pulse.

    Gui Erniang fixed her gaze on her husband’s expression, “How is it?” she asked.

    Gui Xinshu said, “For the time being he seems to be all right.”

    He recalled that just before passing out, he had exchanged a palm strike with someone. Although that person’s martial art skill was very shallow, yet the internal energy cultivation was definitely from Huashan Pai. He also recalled the way Shuang’er run among the rocks on that hill, it was definitely Huashan Pai’s qinggong. In a glance he saw her among the crowd.

    Seeing his bright and flickering gaze, Shuang’er could not help feeling afraid; she shrunk herself behind Wei Xiaobao. Gui Xinshu said, “Little girl, come here. You belong to Huashan Pai, don’t you?”

    “I am not coming!” Shuang’er said, “You killed my sworn brother Wu Dage, I want to take revenge for him. I … I don’t belong to any Huashan Pai either.”

    When He Tishou taught martial arts to the Third Mistress Zhuang, Shuang’er and the others, she did not officially accept them as her disciples, hence she did not mention her own sect or school either. These three words ‘Huashan Pai’, Shuang’er had just heard it for the first time today.

  9. #2569
    Senior Member wandering's Avatar
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    thanks foxs :-D
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    Thanks foxs

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    Thanks Foxs,

    the story is getting complicated eh ?
    Looks like the wuxia world is rather small....the characters are recycled...
    cheerio..

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    They are called as heroes because their martial arts, not because their conduct.

    Firstly, they have cost the Overthrow Qing, Restore Ming movements an army and an experienced general. It is a huge blow to the movement, maybe irrepairable even with WXB's troops. Wu Liu Qi troops are from the Han Green Banner Army, so it is possible they will join the rebellion. However, WXB's troops consisted of Manchurians.

    Secondly, assassinating the Emperor is a top secret affair, why are they acting wilfully and causing a scene? Government troops being attacked in day light will surely cause some gossip. Should the Imperial Court be alerted, security definitely will be tightened.
    You plant a garden and the flowers do not bloom, you poke a stick in the mud and it grows into a tree

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    Senior Member SkyWalker's Avatar
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    Thanks for the update foxs. Finally caught up!

    So, He Tishou had a crush on Qing Qing, but when JY revised the book, didn't he make her fall for Yuan Chengzhi? I rather she didn't like anyone because her character is so cool already. When a character falls in love, it just ruins their coolness.

    Don't like the Guis family. Wonder if the couple were ever righteous or nice people before they had their son. I know their son is the reason they have become so unreasonable and unrighteous, but if they had any good in them before, then they shouldn't stray so far off right?

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    Quote Originally Posted by foxs View Post
    Toasted, I have the book, and although it does not explicitly say '3rd edition', we agreed awhile back that it is the '3rd edition'. Jin Yong merely deleted the reference about 'woman dressed as a man'.
    Thanks foxs for the update. If you have the 3rd edition Deer and the Cauldron, then the change should be a bit more extensive than that. In 3rd edition Sword Stained with Royal Blood, He Tishou knew that Qingqing was a girl all along, and she never fell in love with her. She shouldn't have been embarassed by what Xiaobao said.

    Quote Originally Posted by foxs View Post
    Ace, they were 'heroes' simply because of their martial art ability. I agree, it sounds absurd. Wandering, which other 'series' are you referring to?
    The Guis should have been thought of as heroes because of their reputation as well as their martial arts. Even though He Tishou barely knew him, she said how upstanding Gui Xinshu was. The Huashan sect was also one of the most respected martial arts schools at the end of the Ming dynasty, so the Guis would be highly considered. In this passage, Chen Jinnan already knew their opponents' martial arts were very high, but his opinion of them didn't change until he found out who they were.

    Quote Originally Posted by SkyWalker View Post
    So, He Tishou had a crush on Qing Qing, but when JY revised the book, didn't he make her fall for Yuan Chengzhi? I rather she didn't like anyone because her character is so cool already. When a character falls in love, it just ruins their coolness.
    I have only watched the 2007 version of SSWRB, but it doesn't look like He Tishou was very much in love with Yuan Chengzhi. Sure she flirted with him, but she flirts with everyone. I don't think she lost any of her coolness either - He Tishou is still the only character to successfully blackmail Yuan Chengzhi.

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    Senior Member foxs's Avatar
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    Default Chapter 41 - Part 8

    Wandering, Anh, you are welcome. Crazee ... This is the first time I hear about recycling wuxia characters, but I guess it makes sense. Ace, that's what I said, but you said it better. Sky, I sent you an email awhile ago, did you receive it? Toasted, so you don't believe me, do you? Here is the page on that passage.

    End of Chapter 41, and a little bit more about the Gui's background.
    Ch 41 p.1472.jpg


    Gui Xinshu did not want to argue with this little girl. Suddenly he gathered his chi on his dantian, and with a loud and clear voice said, “Disciples and grand-disciples of Feng Nandi, come out.” Although his voice was not loud, his chi surged out, the dust on the roof rained down.

    He thought that among the three martial brothers, Yuan Chengzhi’s disciples were all overseas, his Da Shixiong [oldest martial brother] Huang Zhen had passed away long time ago, but Huashan Pai still had Huang Zhen’s first disciple Feng Nandi who wielded some power; therefore, the Huashan Pai people in the manor must be Feng Nandi’s disciples. Who would have thought that after waiting for a long time, no noise came from the inner hall?

    Chen Jinnan said, “Last year the heroes from all over the world held a general assembly at He Jian Fu, we swore an oath smearing our lips with blood, determined to work as one to kill the big traitor Wu Sangui. Your virtuous Shizhi [martial nephew], Senior Feng Nandi was the host of the Turtle-Slaying Assembly of He Jian Fu. Why would Senior Gui join hands with Wu Sangui instead and kill our humble Society’s patriot Wu Liuqi Xiongdi? Wouldn’t it be ‘enduring pain for the loved-one, acting in haste for the enemy’?” He said those words politely, but his remark was pointed and powerful.

    Gui Erniang cast him a glance; she said, “I heard people say, ‘Whoever never knew Chen Jinnan, he calls himself a hero in vain,’ but before Sire was born, we, husband and wife, have already criss-crossing the world. If the saying was true, we should have waited for Sire to be born before we could be called ‘hero’. Hey, hey, ridiculous, ridiculous.”

    Chen Jinnan said, “Based on martial art skill, Zaixia only worth a laugh in front of Gui Er Xia, worthy husband and wife. Jianghu friends think highly of Zaixia, they are no more than saying that Zaixia understands right and wrong, that I am not likely to commit outrages and make friends with bandits.”

    Gui Erniang was furious. “Are you saying we committed outrages and made friends with bandits?” she said.

    “Wu Sangui is a big traitor!” Chen Jinnan retorted.

    Gui Erniang said, “This Wu Liuqi acted as accomplice to the tiger, he became the Tatars’ high-ranking officer, bullying our Han’s common people, yet you open your mouth left and right and calling him Dage? Isn’t that committing outrages and making friends with bandits?”

    Ma Chaoxing loudly said, “Wu Dage lived in Cao camp but had his heart in Han camp. He was Tian Di Hui’s Great Obedience Hall Red Banner Xiangzhu. He held power over Guangdong military force, as soon as opportunity arrives, he would move the troops to fight the Tatars. Great Obedience Hall brothers, will you or will you not say that it was so?”

    “It’s true!” more than twenty subordinates of Great Obedience Hall replied in chorus.

    Ma Chaoxing said, “Bare your chests, let these two great heroes have a look.” Twenty some men pulled the front piece of their jacket with both hands and parted it outward, the dozen or so buttons in front of their chests popped out, exposing their chests. They saw that on each man’s chest these eight characters were engraved deep into their flesh: ‘tian fu di mu, fan Qing fu Ming’ [Heaven is my father, Earth is my mother, Fighting the Qing, Restoring the Ming].

    All along Gui Zhong was silent, but now seeing more than twenty men had their chests engraved with eight characters, he clapped his hands and laughed, “Interesting, interesting!” The Tian Di Hui warriors glowered at him.

    Chen Jinnan said to Gui Xinshu, “Your esteemed son thinks it is interesting, what do Gui Er Xia, husband and wife think?”

    Gui Xinshu was extremely dejected; he shook his head and said to Gui Erniang, “Killed the wrong man.”

    Gui Erniang said, “We killed the wrong man! We have fallen into that traitor Wu Sangui’s trick.” Stretching out her left hand, she pulled the single-blade saber from Ma Chaoxing’s waist and swept it across her own neck.

    “Don’t …” Chen Jinnan shouted, while swiftly stretching out his right hand to grab her left wrist.

    Gui Erniang sent out her right palm, Chen Jinnan raised his left palm to parry, both people swayed. Chen Jinnan stretched out two fingers of his left hand to pinch the back of the blade. Gui Erniang sent out another right palm strike toward the pit of his stomach. If Chen Jinnan withdrew, he would not be able to seize the saber away, and he was afraid that she might try to kill herself again. By exchanging palm strikes with her just now, Chen Jinnan knew that although she was really old, her internal energy was not as strong as his; however, her movement was lightning fast, her fist and palm technique was extremely refined. If he withdrew even for a single step, his bare hand would not be able to snatch the blade from her hand away. Thereupon he braced himself and took the palm on his chest. ‘Bang!’ he was hit by the palm strike.

    Gui Erniang was taken aback. Chen Jinnan’s left hand’s two fingers caught her saber and snatched it away. He withdrew two steps back, ‘Wah!’ and spurted a mouthful of fresh blood.

    When Gui Erniang was swiping the blade to kill herself, if Gui Xinshu made his move, he could have prevented her; however, since he killed Wu Liuqi by mistake, he was ashamed and full of regrets, he even had thoughts of killing himself to apologize, hence he did not try to stop his wife at all. After seeing Chen Jinnan did not hesitate to put his own life in danger to seize the steel blade in Gui Erniang’s hand, he was even more ashamed. His clumsy words were only, “Chen Jinnan is a hero of the present age, your name is not in vain.”

    Chen Jinnan supported himself against the table while regulating his breathing. Only after half a day he managed to say, “One who does not know is not guilty. The criminal ringleader, the main offender in the murder of Wu Dage is Wu … Wu San …” speaking to here, he threw up another mouthful of blood.

    Although Gui Erniang was old, most of her power of the former years remained. In order to snatch her blade away, Chen Jinnan was unable to circulate his chi to protect himself; the palm strike he suffered was really not light. Gui Erniang said, “Chen Zongduozhu, if I tried to kill myself again, I would betray your great kindness. We, husband and wife, are determined to kill the Tatar Emperor, and then we will kill that traitor Wu Sangui.” Finished speaking, she kneeled down and kowtowed toward Wu Liuqi’s severed head three times.

    Chen Jinnan said, “Wu Liuqi Dage’s conduct was always very secretive, a lot of Jianghu people also revile him. Virtuous husband and wife making your move this time, your intention was to kill the traitor; it just that unfortunately … unfortunately …” Speaking to this point, he could not stop the tears from flowing down his face again.

    Gui Xinshu, husband and wife, had the same thought; they made up their minds to kill Kangxi and Wu Sangui, and then they were going to kill themselves to apologize to Wu Liuqi. But this moment they did not want to talk too much, they cupped their fists toward Chen Jinnan and said, “Chen Zongduozhu, we’ll take our leave now.”

    “Would you stay for a moment?” Chen Jinnan asked, “Zaixia has something to report.” The Gui couple had already taken their son’s hand and were on their way out; hearing this, they stopped and turned around.

    Chen Jinnan said, “Wu Sangui is deploying his troops from Yunnan, very soon the whole country will be in rebellion, this is a golden opportunity to reinstate our Han people’s rivers and mountains. There will be quite a number of heroes who in the coming days will gather in the Capital to discuss countermeasure for dealing with current situation. Everybody will be like-minded, how about the two Seniors consider going to Beijing to join the conference?”

    In his heart Gui Xinshu was ashamed, he did not have any desire to see other people; hence he shook his head, and started to walk out again.

    Wei Xiaobao heard the two of them said that they were going to assassinate the Emperor. He thought these three fellows surnamed ‘turtle’ had a very high level of martial art skill, the young Emperor had never guarded against them, he must prevent them from killing the emperor. “This is a very important matter concerning the world,” he called out, “Your Gongzi’s [young master] conduct is a bit messed up. If this time you spoil this matter, even if the three of you kill yourselves, inevitably your names will … will be a stench for ten thousand years.” He had heard the saying ‘yi chou wan nian’ [to have one’s name go down in history as a byword for infamy], but he could not remember the exact words, hence he said ‘chou qi wan nian’ [stench for ten thousand years].

    Although he did not say it correctly, the Gui couple understood his meaning clearly. Gui Xinshu knew that in term of martial art skill he was quite superior, but in term of ability to see things clearly he was rather weak, otherwise he would not have blindly accepted Wu Sangui’s one-sided story as the fact, and thus committed this kind of blunder. Hearing Wei Xiaobao, he could not help but shivered inwardly. He thought, “Assassinating the Emperor is indeed an important matter concerning the fate of the nation.”

    Wei Xiaobao continued, “Right now the Emperor is still young, he is not too sensible yet, as soon as Wu Sangui arose in rebellion, he would collapse silly. If you kill him, another Tatar, older and more formidable, will become the Emperor, then our Han people’s rivers and mountains will be spoiled under your hands.” Gui Xinshu nodded slowly and turned around.

    Chen Jinnan said, “Two Seniors, this child is young, he talks with no respect for his elders, please don’t be offended.” While saying that he cupped his fist to apologize. And then he continued, “But it seems that his concern needs to be considered at length. Such an important matter like this, we must discuss and decide what would be the best course of action?”

    Gui Xinshu thought that he had committed one mistake and must not commit another mistake; just because right now he was ashamed and indignant, he must not let himself to be a sinner for all ages. Thereupon he said, “Very well! I will sincerely listen to Chen Zongduozhu’s instruction.”

    “That word ‘instruction’,” Chen Jinnan said, “I absolutely do not dare to give. Tomorrow morning we will all go to Beijing. In the evening we will meet at this child’s residence to discuss this important matter. What do the Seniors think?” Gui Xinshu nodded.

    Chen Jinnan asked Wei Xiaobao, “Have you moved?”

    Wei Xiaobao replied, “Disciple still lives at Tong Maozi [copper hat] Lane in Dongcheng [district, central Beijing].”

    “Seniors,” Chen Jinnan said, “Tomorrow night Zaixia will wait respectfully for the two Seniors’ honorable presence in this child’s Zijue Fu [Viscount Mansion] at Tong Maozi Lane in Dongcheng district in Beijing.”

    “Shifu,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Please don’t be angry, right now it is called Bojue Fu [Earl Mansion].”

    “Hey, you have been promoted,” Chen Jinnan said.

    Gui Erniang stared at Wei Xiaobao. She asked, “You are Wu Sangui’s nephew, but also ‘live in Cao camp but have the heart in Han camp’; will you place righteousness before family?”

    Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, “I am not Wu Sangui’s nephew, Wu Sangui desperately wanted to be my grandson.”

    Chen Jinnan scolded him, “Don’t be rude in front of the Seniors. Quickly kowtow and apologize.”

    “Yes,” Wei Xiaobao replied. He struck a posture ready to kneel, but he did so exasperatingly slowly.

    Gui Xinshu waved his hands; he took his wife and child, as well as his servants, out of the door without saying anything. He knew perfectly well that there was no other place they could lodge for the night, but he would rather go hungry and spend the night in the wilderness since he did not face the face to be with Tian Di Hui warriors.

    Gui Zhong never had any playmate since he was little, seeing that Wei Xiaobao was very clever with words, plus was still young, he found him very amusing. He waved to him and said, “Baby, come with me, accompany me playing.”

    “You killed my friend,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “I am not playing with you.”

    Suddenly there was a ‘whoosh!’ a shadow flashed, Gui Zhong leaped over, grabbed Wei Xiaobao, and brought him to the door. His movement was very fast, while Chen Jinnan had just suffered quite a heavy injury, plus he was quite some distance away; unexpectedly not a single Tian Di Hui warrior had enough time to react.

    Gui Zhong laughed aloud and shouted, “You must play hide-and-seek again with me, we will have a lot of fun!”

    Gui Xinshu’s countenance sank; he said sternly, “Child, put him down.”

    Gui Zhong did not dare to disobey his father, he was obliged to let Wei Xiaobao down, but his lips were already flat, obviously he was about to cry. Gui Erniang said consolingly, “Child, let us go to buy two page boys to accompany you playing.”

    “Page boys are no fun,” Gui Zhong said, “This baby is fun, let us go buy him.”

    Seeing his son making a fool of himself, Gui Xinshu pulled his hand and went out the door in quick steps.

    The crowd of warriors looked at each other in dismay; they all felt that Wu Liuqi was a hero, yet he died for no reason under the hands of an idiot. It was indeed too much of injustice.

    “Shifu,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Let me invite Popo Jiejie here to meet everybody.” Together with Shuang’er he went into the inner hall. Who would have thought that He Tishou had already left?

    The Third Mistress said that it was inappropriate for the womenfolk to meet the heroes, she only instructed the maidservants to prepare food and drink and to be hospitable to the guests.

    Book note: In the title of this chapter, Yuyang instigation is an allusion to An Lushan’s rebellion [755-763] in reference to Wu Sangui’s rebellion. ‘Excessive supervision with poor planning’ is an allusion to Jing Ke [would-be assassin of King Ying Zheng of Qin (later the first Emperor, Qin Shi Huang)] assassinating King Tai. Our book borrows the allusion in reference to Gui Xinshu and the others mistakenly assassinated Wu Liuqi. It was too late to regret, yet they also wanted to assassinate Kangxi. The implied meaning has no relevance with actual historical fact.

  16. #2576
    Senior Member Ace High's Avatar
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    The Guis still wanted to assassinate the Emperor, however they plan to do so is
    Go to Beijing, kill the Emperor.
    Anybody wants to hazard their chance of success?
    You plant a garden and the flowers do not bloom, you poke a stick in the mud and it grows into a tree

  17. #2577
    Senior Member crazee's Avatar
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    Mixed feelings for another chapter.....

    Thanks foxs.....mixed because the faster the chapters come the faster the doses ends......

    Anyway.... Looks like very messy and complicated....no coordination.

    The poison girl seems interesting....she's the one in The Proud wonderer ...right ??
    cheerio..

  18. #2578
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    Thanks foxs

  19. #2579
    Member lorrycai's Avatar
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    Thanks Foxs!

    Now I remembered who's the girl with the hook! Hmmm, the hook should have rusted by now.......hehe. I've always thought Shuang Er's kung fu came from Jiu Nan. So its Hua Shan.......I guess Dugu Nine Sword have gone into extinction by then as well.
    "I may walk slowly but I'm walking forward"

  20. #2580
    Senior Member athlonkmf's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by crazee View Post
    Mixed feelings for another chapter.....

    Thanks foxs.....mixed because the faster the chapters come the faster the doses ends......

    Anyway.... Looks like very messy and complicated....no coordination.
    This is the turning point for the TV-adaptions. A lot of things will happen in fast pace.
    But the book is still going to ehm.. extensive.
    Proud to be part of http://www.asianfanatics.net/

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