The Deer and The Cauldron

[pannonian]

This novel may give first time Jin Yong readers a mistaken idea of what his novels are like, with all the effs and blinds being thrown around. In the other novels, "Scram your granny" is about as fruity as it gets.

[SkyWalker]

Thanks foxs!

[smurf120]

These monks are so frustrating! I feel that there is much religious fervor and devotion in Jin Yong's books than say Christians/Catholics in the King Arthur legends. Monks, priests, cults and so forth seem more like a bunch of people who hang out, practice martial arts, and meditate for the most part.

Thanks Foxs for brightening my MOnday!

[foxs]

Icefrog, Sky, you are most welcome. Thanks for dropping by. Pannonian, sorry, I am not familiar with the terms effs and blinds, but I am assuming you are talking about the cussing? In this case, you are right, I am also surprised that Jin Yong used a lot of vulgar language in this novel. Smurf, again, I agree. (well, what else can I say?) Sometimes I don't understand this 'loyal to the death' thing. If you are dead, nothing you can do. Just imagine if Yue Fei, Guo Jing, Huang Rong, etc. stayed alive and worked for the common people. Just imagine if those 'devoted' monks and priests lived in the real world and do good to other people. Just imagine ... alright, I'll stop.

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Cheng Guang stood up, signaled with his hand, and withdrew toward the door, where he bowed with palms together toward Yulin. Wei Xiaobao made faces toward Yulin, stuck out his tongue, put the thumb of his right hand on his own nose, with the other four fingers waving toward Yulin. With this gesture he was saying, "What a stink, what a stink!" Yulin had his eyes closed, he did not see anything.

When the three of them were outside, Cheng Guang said, "Yulin Dashi is an eminent senior monk, he has reached the enlightenment level. Lao Na is going to release Abbot Xinxi and the others and let them go. Benefactor Wei, our meeting today is brought together by fate, let us part here." Finished speaking, he brought his palms together, bowed to salute, and left. Unexpectedly he did not let Wei Xiaobao to re-enter Qing Liang Temple.

Wei Xiaobao's heart was on fire; he said, "Very well, since you already have a brilliant scheme that is ‘not one in ten thousand failures’ (wan shi wu yi), it's actually me who was being meddlesome."

He told Shuang'er to fetch Yu Ba and his retinue, and then without telling anybody else they went down the mountain, back to Ling Jing Temple to spend the night there.

The previous night he had donated seventy taels of silver to the Ling Jing Temple. When the administrator of the monastery saw the big benefactor once again graced their temple with his visit, he eagerly and attentively welcomed them.

In the guestroom, with one hand supporting his cheek, Wei Xiaobao contemplated, “I have seen the Old Emperor. Turns out he is not that old, but he is in a very dangerous situation; the Tibetan Lamas want to capture him, the Shen Long Jiao also want to get him. That old bald thief Yulin is putting on an act, but does not have the least bit of farting skill; what good is Abbot Cheng Guang one man alone? I am afraid in just a few days the Old Emperor will be captured by those people, and then how am I going to explain to Xiao Xuanzi?”

As he turned his head around, he saw Shuang’er’s beautiful eyebrows were furrowed, she looked really upset. “Shuang’er,” he asked, “Why are you unhappy?”

“Nothing,” Shuang’er replied.

“I know you have a load on your mind,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Quickly tell me.”

“It’s really nothing,” Shuang’er replied.

Suddenly Wei Xiaobao remembered something. “Ah, I get it,” he said, “You are blaming me for being an official in the Imperial Court, but all along have never told you.”

Shuang’er’s eyes turned red as she said, “The Tatar Emperor is a big evil man, Xianggong you … how can you be their official? Not only that, you are a high-ranking official.” While saying that, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Wei Xiaobao was taken aback. “Silly child,” he said, “Why do you have to cry over that?”

Sobbing and sniffling, Shuang’er said, “The Third Mistress has given me to Xianggong, she told me to serve you, to obey your commands. But … but you are a … a high-ranking official in the Imperial Court, my papa, mama, and two gege [older brother], were all killed by evil government officials. You … you …” And she burst out crying.

Momentarily Wei Xiaobao was at a loss of what to do. “Alright, alright!” he hastily said, “I will tell you everything. Let me tell you the truth, my position as a government official is only a cover, I am the Xiangzhu of Green Wood Hall of Tian Di Hui, the Heaven is my father, the Earth is my mother, we fight the Qing to restore the Ming. Do you understand? My Shifu is Tian Di Hui’s Zongduozhu, I have already told your Third Mistress everything. Our Tian Di Hui stand to oppose the Imperial Court. My Shifu sent me to infiltrate the Imperial Palace to become an officer, for the purpose of spying on the Tatars’ movement. This is top secret information, if this info leaks out, my life cannot be protected anymore.”

Shuang’er reached out and pressed his hand against Wei Xiaobao’s lips. “Don’t say anything anymore,” she said in a low voice, “It’s all my fault, I forced you to tell me.” While saying that, her tears were turned into laughter. She continued, “Xianggong is a good man, naturally you can’t possibly do bad things. I … I really am a silly servant girl.”

Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, “You are a well-behaved girl.” Pulling her hand, he let her sit on the kang, by his side. In a low voice he told her everything about Shunzhi and Kangxi. He said, “The young emperor is only a teenager, his father has left home to become a Buddhist monk and no longer wants to be with him. Don’t you think we should pity him? Those fellows who came to get him today were all very, very bad people, how fortunate it was that you saved him.”

Shuang’er let out a breath and said, “Finally I did a good thing.”

Wei Xiaobao said, “No more than sending the Buddha onto the Western Paradise. Those people were released by the Abbot. Definitely they are not going to let go, they will come back to get that old emperor, cut the flesh of his body piece by piece, cook it, and eat it; won’t that be terrible?” He knew Shuang’er had a good heart, in order to arouse her courage so that she would be willing to save people, he intentionally pictured Shunzhi’s plight to be utterly dire.

Shuang’er shivered; “Why would they want to eat his flesh?” she asked.

Wei Xiaobao said, “Monk Tangseng[3] went to the Western Paradise to fetch the scriptures; have you heard this tale?”

“I have,” Shuang’er replied, “And there were Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie[4] too.”

“Along the way, they met many demons,” Wei Xiaobao said, “They all wanted to eat Tangseng’s flesh; they said he was a holy monk, if they ate his flesh, they would become Buddhist immortal.”

“Ah, I know,” Shuang’er said, “These bad people thought that the Old Emperor is also a holy monk.”

“That’s right,” Wei Xiaobao said, “You are really smart. The Old Emperor Monk can be compared to Tangseng, and those bad people are the demons. I am the monkey Sun, Sun Xingzhe [another name for Sun Wukong], and you are … you are …” Speaking to this point, he raised his palms to cover his own ears, because right that moment, a slap was coming to his face.

Shuang’er laughed and said, “You are saying I am the Zhu Bajie?”

Wei Xiaobao said, “Your appearance looks like Guanyin Pusa [Goddess of Mercy], but your action looks like Zhu Bajie.”

Shuang’er quickly waved her hand, “Don’t say anything to offend the Bodhisattva,” she said, “Xianggong, you may be the Shancai Boy Hong Hai’er[5] by the Guanyin Pusa’s side, and I …” Speaking to this point, her face blushed, she did not continue whatever she was going to say next.

“That’s right!” Wei Xiaobao said, “I can be the Shancai Boy, and you are the Long Nu [dragon girl]. The two of us will always be together, and whatever happens we will never part.”

Shuang’er’s cheeks blushed even deeper, she said in a low voice, “Naturally I will serve you forever, unless … unless you don’t want me anymore, and drive me away.”

Wei Xiaobao raised his palm to make a cutting gesture across his own neck and said, “Even if you cut my head, I will never drive you away. Unless you don’t want me anymore, and sneak out on your own.”

Shuang’er also raised her palm to make a cutting gesture across her own neck and said, “Even if you cut my head, I will never leave.” The two of them burst out in loud laughter.

Ever since Shuang’er followed Wei Xiaobao, she had always observed master-servant relationship strictly, very little did she ever chat and laugh with him. This moment, after listening to Wei Xiaobao telling her the truth about him, her heart felt happy and at ease. By laughing together like this, the friendship between them grew several degrees more intimate.

“Alright,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Now that the problem between us is sorted out, we have to think of a way, how are we going to save Tangseng?”

Shuang’er laughed and said, “To save Monk Tangseng, the Great Sage the Equal of Heaven[6] had always come up with an idea, Zhu Bajie was only a bum beetle.”

Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, “If Zhu Bajie was as good-looking as you are, Tangseng would never leave home to become a Buddhist monk.”

“Why is that?” Shuang’er asked.

Wei Xiaobao replied, “Naturally Tangseng would take Zhu Bajie as his wife.”

‘Pfft,’ Shuang’er broke into laughter. “Zhu Bajie was a pig demon, who would want to take him as a wife?”

Hearing Shuang’er mentioning taking a pig demon as a wife, Wei Xiaobao suddenly remembered the ‘huadiao fuling’ pig, in which Mu Jianping came to him; he wondered where she and Fang Yi were right this moment, and whether she was safe and sound. Seeing Wei Xiaobao was staring blankly, lost in thought, Shuang’er did not dare to interrupt his train of thought.

A moment later, Wei Xiaobao said, “I have found a way not to let those bad people catch the Old Emperor. Shuang’er, if, for example, there is a similar treasure, and a lot of thieves and bandits want to steal it, what should we do, so that those thieves and bandits cannot steal it?”

Shuang’er replied, “When we see thieves and bandits come to steal it, we capture them.”

Wei Xiaobao shook his head, “The thieves and bandits are too many, we cannot catch them all. We must become thieves and bandits ourselves.”

“We become thieves and bandits?” Shuang’er asked.

“Right!” Wei Xiaobao said, “We strike first and gain the upper hand. If we steal the treasure first and have it in our hands, then other thieves and bandits cannot steal it.”

Shuang’er clapped her hands and said with a laugh, “I get it, we catch the Old Emperor Monk first.”

“Exactly,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Without further ado, let’s leave now.”

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[3] Xuanzang (602-664) Tang dynasty Buddhist monk and translator who travelled to India (629-645).

[4] The Monkey King and the pig-like character with a muck-rake as a weapon, both are characters in the novel Journey to the West.

[5] Another character in the novel Journey to the West. Shancai Hong Hai’er literally means ‘good/virtuous/benevolent Red Boy.

[6] Qi Tian Da Sheng – the self proclaimed title of the Monkey King.

[Lzydude]

deer and cauldron, according to jin yong, is a book that served as a 'reality check' to readers after writing books about heroes and their upright deeds. so i guess the swearing was also part of that check [many teenagers, and even little kids, in china swear, as in (我操, meaning f*ck)]

as for that 'loyal to death' thing, is was more of like an imperial china ideology, i suppose. just like how shuang'er has the servant mentality

[SkyWalker]

Thanks foxs.

[CFT]

The British use the term: "effing and blinding" to refer to cussing.

[crazee]

Hi everybody.... after more than 1 week away, I come back to see more updates...thanks foxs, it was a good read.
Went to shenzen and finally got to taste "candied haw" at the Cultural Village.

They had a live show, it make me imagine the final scenes of ROCH where the moguls were attacking the fort....with real people riding horses enacting the scenes.

[foxs]

Lzydude, CFT, thanks for the additional info. Honest, I did not know those facts. Sky, thanks for being faithful. How's your son? A month and a half? You still don't get a whole night sleep, I suppose. Crazee, we went (or attempted to go) to Shenzen (from Hongkong) almost four years ago, but did not know that US passport holders cannot get visa on arrival. Another short update today ...

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The two of them reached the perimeter of the Qing Liang Temple. Wei Xiaobao said, “The sky is not dark yet, stealing stuff or stealing a monk, we must wait until the sky is dark.” The two of them hid in the wood, with great difficulty waiting for the whole mountain to be shrouded in darkness, and all noises ceased.

In a low voice Wei Xiaobao said, “In the temple, only Abbot one person knows martial art, luckily in the fight just now, he suffered an injury, he must be lying down to rest by now. You go seal that big fat monk Xing Dian’s acupoint, and then we can steal the Old Emperor monk out. It’s just that Xing Dian’s strength is enormous, that golden pestle of his is very formidable, you must be very careful.” Shuang’er nodded, indicating that she understood.

After listening attentively and convinced that there was nobody around, the two of them quietly leaped over the enclosure and walked toward the vihara where Shunzhi was meditating. They saw the board gate was already closed, but the damage done on the door by the kick earlier that day had not been repaired, it was put there only as a shield against the wind. Creeping closed to the wall, Shuang’er went in. She pulled the board facing left, and saw a flash or yellow light. ‘Whoosh!’ the golden pestle struck down from the gap between the door leaves.

Shuang’er waited until the golden pestle swung back up before she swiftly leaped in, while stretching out her finger to seal the two acupoints on Xing Dian’s chest one after another. “Really sorry!” she said in a low voice. Raising both hands, she grabbed the golden pestle in his hands. Xing Dian’s acupoints were sealed, his body turned weak and he slowly dropped down. The golden pestle was more than a hundred catties. If Shuang’er did not catch it, it would fell down and crush his toes. Wei Xiaobao followed; he dodged inside and pulled the door leaf.

The vihara was very small; in the darkness, he vaguely saw someone was sitting on a putuan. Wei Xiaobao knew it must be the Emperor Shunzhi whose Buddhist name was Xing Chi. Immediately he kowtowed and said, “Your servant Wei Xiaobao, who saved your honorable self during the day. Old Emperor, please do not panic.” Xing Chi was silent without making any noise.

Wei Xiaobao continued, “The Old Emperor is meditating quietly in here, actually, it is very good; however, there are a lot of bad people outside who want to capture the Old Emperor, who want to do you harm. In order to protect the Old Emperor, your servant would like to invite you to another peaceful place, so that the bad people won’t be able to get you.”

Xing Chi still did not reply. Wei Xiaobao said, “Well then, would the Old Emperor please leave together with your servant?”

A long time passed, Wei Xiaobao saw him still sit cross-legged, motionless. By this time Wei Xiaobao had been in the dark for quite a while, he started to be able to see more clearly. He noticed that Xing Chi’s posture in meditating was exactly the same as Yulin whom he saw during the day. Wei Xiaobao was not sure if he was really meditating, or he was simply ignoring him. He said, “The Old Emperor’s real identity is already known, there is no one in Qing Liang Temple who can protect you. A group of the enemy has left, another group will come, in the end, the Old Emperor will be captured by them. We’d better find another quiet place where you can meditate in peace.”

Xing Chi still did not reply. Xing Dian suddenly said, “You, two children are good people, luckily you saved me during the day. When my Shixiong is meditating, he does not talk to anyone. Where do you want him to go?” His voice was originally very loud, but he struggled hard to lower his voice, so that it became very hoarse.

Wei Xiaobao stood up and said, “Anywhere is alright. Wherever your Shixiong wishes to go, we will accompany him there. So long as those bad people cannot find him, the two of you can meditate and chant the names of Buddha in peace and quiet.”

“We do not chant the names of Buddha,” Xing Dian said.

“Alright,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Do not chant the names of Buddha is also fine. Shuang’er, quickly unseal this Dashi’s acupoints.”

Shuang’er stretched out her hand to massage Xiang Dian’s back and the side of his torso to unseal his acupoints. “I am really sorry,” she said.

Xing Dian respectfully said to Xing Chi, “Shixiong, these two children are inviting us to temporarily go out and hide.”

Xing Chi said, “Shifu has not told us to leave Qing Liang Temple.” His voice was very clear and bright. It was the very first time that Wei Xiaobao heard his voice.

Xing Dian said, “If the enemies carry out a large scale operation to attack, these two children won’t be able to resist.”

“All circumstances are born in the heart,” Xing Chi said, “When it come to danger, everywhere in the world is dangerous. When the heart is peaceful, everywhere in the world is peaceful. The other day you killed and injured many people, and thus greatly accumulated evil business. Hereafter, no matter what, you must not rush indiscriminately into action without clear understanding.”

Xing Dian stared blankly for half a day before saying, “Shixiong’s direction is true.” Turning his head toward Wei Xiaobao he said, “Shixiong does not want to leave, you have heard him.”

Wei Xiaobao knitted his brows and said, “If the enemy came to get your Shixiong, slicing the flesh of his body piece by piece with a knife, what would you do?”

Xing Dian said, “None among the common people does not die; to live several years longer, or several years shorter, there is not much difference.”

“What do you mean there is not much difference?” Wei Xiaobao asked, “Then there is no difference between a dead person and a living person, there is no difference between man and woman, there is also no difference between monk and turtle or pig?”

“All living creatures are equal,” Xing Dian said, “It has always been like that since the beginning.”

Wei Xiaobao thought, “No wonder one is called Xing Chi, the other is called Xing Dian; they are indeed foolish and inverted[7]. Urging them to leave is unsuccessful. If we seal the Old Emperor’s acupoint and carry him out, it is indeed too disrespectful, plus it will be difficult to escape from other people’s attention.” In that moment he had his hands bound and was unable to do anything, his heart was angered and he was unable to hold back. “If there is not much difference between anything, then there is not much difference between the Empress and Empress Duan Jing, why do you have to leave home?” he blurted.

Xing Chi suddenly sprang up. “You … what did you say?” he asked in trembling voice.

As soon as he blurted out, Wei Xiaobao had already regretted it. Immediately he kowtowed and said, “Your servant is uttering nonsense, Old Emperor please do not get angry.”

Xing Chi said, “The matter of the past, I have already forgotten it. Why do you still use that kind of appellation? Please rise quickly, I have something I’d like to ask you.”

"Yes," Wei Xiaobao replied. He stood up, thinking, "I have succeeded in arousing your interest to talk, finally there is a little bit of progress."

"Where did you hear about the two Empresses from?" Xing Chi asked

"I heard it from Hai Dafu when he was talking to the Empress Dowager," Wei Xiaobao replied.

"You know Hai Dafu?" Xing Chi asked, "What happened to him?"

"He was killed by the Empress Dowager," Wei Xiaobao replied.

Xing Chi cried out in alarm. "He is dead?" he asked.

Wei Xiaobao said, "The Empress Dowager killed him using the 'Transforming Bones Soft Palm' skill."

With a trembling voice Xing Chi said, "How can the Empress Dowager know ... know martial art? How did you know?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "Hai Dafu and the Empress Dowager fought in the garden at the Palace of Compassionate and Peace, I saw it with my own eyes."

"Who are you?" Xing Chi asked.

"Your servant is the Imperial Bodyguard Deputy Chief Wei Xiaobao," Wei Xiaobao replied, and then he immediately added, "Currently I am on mission, sent by His Majesty himself. Here is the imperial edict." While saying that, he presented the imperial note Kangxi wrote.

Xing Chi was staring blankly for a moment, he did not reach out to take the letter. Xing Dian said, "There has never been any lantern in here."

Xing Chi sighed. "Is the young emperor well?" he asked, "Is he ... is he happy being the emperor?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "As soon as the young emperor found out that the Old Emperor is still alive, he wished to grow wings and fly to Mount Wutai. In the Palace he wept and he cried, he was grieving but was also delighted, he wanted to go up the mountain, no matter what. But then ... but then he was afraid he might neglect the important matters of the imperial court, so he sent your servant to come first and pay his respect to the Old Emperor. As soon as your servant return and present the memorial to him, the young emperor will personally come here."

With a trembling voice Xing Chi said, "He ... he does not need to come. He is a good emperor, thinking about the important matters of the imperial court first, not like me ..." Speaking to this point, his voice turned into sobs.

In the darkness they could hear the sound of his tears dripping on the lapel of his outer garment. Hearing him expressing the father-son affection, Shuang'er felt the pit of her stomach ached, tears also streaming down her face.

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[7] Xing means ‘to walk/go/travel, to perform/capable of/competent’, Chi means ‘imbecile, sentimental, stupid, foolish’, Dian means ‘fall forwards, inverted, jolt’.

[athlonkmf]

thanks foxs

(wonders how high that enclosure is, if WXB can leap over it..)

A little spelling error

who can protect you. A group of the enemy has left, another group will come, in the end, the Old Emperor will be captured by the.

missing a word?

“Alright,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Do not the names of Buddha is also fine.

[CFT]

Thanks for the update foxs. Very moving at the end there. As usual WXB shows insight beyond his years (re: the 2 empresses).

[tweety365]

How heavy is 1 catty in pounds?
Over 100 sounds a lot and Shuang’er can hold the golden pestle.

Thank you, foxs!

[athlonkmf]

How heavy is 1 catty in pounds?
Over 100 sounds a lot and Shuang’er can hold the golden pestle.

Thank you, foxs!

I always had the impression of a catty equal to a can bottle of coke because they always order a catty of wine. So 100 carries is about 50 pounds or so? Sounds reasonable, light enough for a girl to lift, heavy enough to crush a toe

Google says 1 catty is 1.3 pounds though... That's kinda heavy for a normal girl...

[SkyWalker]

Thanks for the update foxs! I may be busy with the new kid but I'm sure you're more busy with everything you need to do. Hopefully everything is going well for you.

[tweety365]

I always had the impression of a catty equal to a can bottle of coke because they always order a catty of wine. So 100 carries is about 50 pounds or so? Sounds reasonable, light enough for a girl to lift, heavy enough to crush a toe

Google says 1 catty is 1.3 pounds though... That's kinda heavy for a normal girl...

Thanks for the info, athlonkmf. I'm amazed a 13 year old girl can catch a club over 130 lbs.

[foxs]

Athlon, thanks, I have made the correction. CFT, Sky, you are welcome. Tweety, the original was jin (equivalent to 1 lb). I made a quick calculation, if the pestle was made of pure gold, it would measure about 2" in diameter, 5 ft long. If it was made of steel (perhaps inlaid with gold), with the same diameter, it would be between 7 and 8 feet long. The size did not bother me, since Xing Dian was a giant, but pure gold that big, the cost would be prohibited. Perhaps it was only an exaggeration?

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Wei Xiaobao thought that he should not miss this golden opportunity, right now the Old Emperor's emotion was agitated, he would easily hear what Wei Xiaobao had to say. Thereupon Wei Xiaobao said, "Hai Dafu has investigated everything clearly. The Empress Dowager murdered Prince Rong first, then she murdered Empress Duan Jing, and Empress Duan Jing's meizi Consort Zhen. Afterwards she also murdered the young emperor's mama. Hai Dafu has investigated everything clearly. When the Empress Dowager knew that the secret has been divulged, she personally killed Hai Dafu. She also dispatched a large number of people to go up Mount Wutai to plot against the Old Emperor's life."

The fact that Prince Rong, Empress Duan Jing and Consort Zhen, three people were killed by a martial art expert, had been investigated clearly by Hai Dafu, and had been reported to Xing Chi; afterwards he returned to the palace to investigate the murderer. But no matter what, Xing Chi could not believe that it was the Empress Dowager herself who went into action; he sighed and said, "The Empress Dowager does not know martial art."

Wei Xiaobao said, "The Old Emperor would understand everything after listening to Empress Dowager and Hai Dafu's exchange that night." Thereupon he narrated in details the conversation between the two people that night at the garden. He was eloquent [orig. clever tooth sharp tooth]; although he was talking very fast, each word was very clear.

Xing Chi was originally a sentimental person, only because he was devotedly attached to imperial concubine Dong'e that after her death he did not even want to be the Emperor anymore, he willingly abandoned his position of ten-thousand four-horse chariots and shut himself up in a small secluded room. Although he had practiced Zen meditation for several years, the shadow of imperial concubine Dong'e was etched very deep in his heart that as soon as he heard Wei Xiaobao mentioning her name, in an instant all meditation and Buddhism dharma were tossed away to the back of his mind. The exchange between Hai Dafu and the Empress Dowager flowed in his heart, grief and indignation met together, the flow of chi in the pit of his stomach was blocked, he felt as if he was about to explode.

Finished narrating, Wei Xiaobao added, "Since that old ... the Empress Dowager has started it, she will carry it through whatever happens; after she harms you, the Old Emperor, she will murder the young emperor. She also wants to dig Empress Duan Jing's grave and issue an imperial order throughout the land, to burn down the book 'Empress Duan Jing's Quotation'; she said that all those 'quotations' are a fart. Any family who possess a copy at home will be searched, their belongings confiscated, and they will be beheaded!" This last part was entirely his fabrication, but it just happened to touch the wound in Xing Chi's heart.

Xing Chi flew into rage, he slapped his own thigh forcefully and shouted, "That s1ut, I ... I should have deposed her early on. With her carry on like this, it just brings disaster!"

In the past, Shunzhi wholeheartedly wanted to depose the Empress and established imperial concubine Dong'e to be the Empress; it was only because the Empress Dowager blocked him that he relented. If the imperial concubine Dong'e did not die, sooner or later the Empress position would be hers.

Wei Xiaobao said, "Old Emperor, you can see through the world's affair, there is no difference between life and death, the young emperor must not be allowed to die, Empress Duan Jing's grave must not be excavated, the 'Empress Duan Jing's Quotations' must not be destroyed."

"Correct," Xing Chi said, "You are absolutely correct."

Wei Xiaobao said, "Therefore, we must go into hiding to avoid falling into the Empress Dowager's evil scheme. The first step in Empress Dowager's strategy is murdering you, the second step is murdering the young emperor, the third step is digging the grave and burn the 'Quotations'. As long as the first step is unsuccessful, she would not dare to execute the second step, the third step."

Shunzhi ascended the throne when he was seven, and left home to become Buddhist monk when he was twenty-four. By this time he was only in his thirties. His natural disposition was hot-tempered, his character fiery; in term of sensibility, although very young, Kangxi was ten times better than his father, consequently, when the Mu Palace people trying to frame Wu Sangui, Kangxi was able to see through their crafty scheme. Wei Xiaobao was telling him half truth and half lies, with a lot of fabrication in his speech, but Xing Chi accepted everything as the truth. However, although Wei Xiaobao fabricated the story about the Empress Dowager's three steps, he was a disciple of the marketplace, his way of thinking was about the same as that of an insidious woman.

In a loud voice Xing Chi said, "Luckily you lay everything bare in a few words, otherwise the important matter will be spoiled. Shidi, we must leave immediately."

"Yes," Xing Dian replied. With his right hand he picked up the golden pestle, with his left hand he pushed the door leaf open.

As the door opened, they saw a shadow standing on the doorway. Xing Dian was unable to see his appearance in the dark. "Who is it?" he shouted, while lifting up his golden pestle.

That man said, "Where are you two going?"

Xing Dian was shocked; he threw away the golden pestle, put his palms together and called out, "Shifu!"

Xing Chi also called out, "Shifu!"

Turned out it was none other than Yulin. He slowly said, "I have heard everything you said."

"Damn it," Wei Xiaobao cried out in his heart, "Things have turned to the worse!"

Yulin said in deep voice, "The worldly enmity leading to sin must be resolved, by blindly avoiding it, in the end you won't achieve anything. The cause will produce the result, which you must bear for as long as you live."

Xing Chi prostrated himself to the ground, saying, "Shifu's instruction is very true, disciple understands."

"I am afraid your understanding is not deep enough," Yulin said, "Your former wife wants to find you, let her come to find you. Our Buddha shows mercy to all living beings; she blamed you, she hated you, she wanted to kill you, you must resign yourself to her, you must introspect yourself instead, inevitably there must be something that made her blame you, hate you, a strong reason why she is determined to kill you. You try to avoid her, the karma remains. If you send someone to kill her, your evil karma will be even more grave."

"Yes," Xing Chi replied with a trembling voice.

Wei Xiaobao cursed in his belly, "F*ck your old bald thief's granny! I want to curse you, beat you, kill you, I want to see if you'll let me beat and curse you, I want to see if you'll let me cut your bald head?"

He heard Yulin continued, "As for Tibetan lamas wanted to capture you, it was they who commit evil karma, they want to use you as a hostage to force the current emperor into submission, to go on the rampage by ignoring the law, oppressing and doing harm to common people. We must not let them have their outrageous way. For the time being, you cannot live here, you must come with me to the little temple at the back." He turned around and left. Xing Chi and Xing Dian immediately followed him.

Wei Xiaobao thought, "Although the young emperor bestowed me the Yellow Magua, I have never worn it for even one day. If I cannot complete this mission, when I return to Beijing, I won't be able to answer the young emperor. In his anger, he might go back on his promise and thus won't bestow the Yellow Magua to me. I'd better follow them and take a look." Thereupon he and Shuang'er followed to Yulin's little meditation temple.

Yulin acted as if he did not even see these two people; ignoring them completely, he went straight to the putuan and sat cross-legged. Xing Chi also sat down on the putuan next to him. Xing Dian glanced around, and then sat down on the putuan slightly lower than Xing Chi's. Yulin and Xing Chi put their palms together and closed their eyes, sitting motionless. Xing Dian, however, opened his round eyes wide, staring at the empty space. Finally he also closed his eyes, his hands resting on his knees. After a while, he reached out to touch the golden pestle by the putuan, afraid that he might lose it.

Wei Xiaobao made a face toward Shuang'er, and then with exaggerated movement he also sat down on the putuan, Shuang'er also sat down close to him. Although Wei Xiaobao was not Sun Wukong, he had always been an active and restless boy, just like real monkey. If he was asked to sit still on the putuan for three quarters of an hour to an hour, it would be the same as asking for his life. But since the Old Emperor was sitting by his side, he was unwilling to leave the temple, no matter what. He twisted to the east, skewed to the west, pulling Shuang'er's hand, tickling the palm of her hand. With great difficulty Shuang'er resisted the urge to laugh, with her left hand she pointed to Yulin and Xing Chi.

After enduring this for about an hour, Wei Xiaobao suddenly had a thought, "Even if he is learning to be a monk, the Old Emperor can't possibly resist the need to pee and poo. When he is going out to pee or poo, I will use graceful words, flowery speech to trick him into escaping." Having had this idea, his body calmed down somewhat.

In the quiet night, suddenly they heard footsteps of a lot of people in the distance. At first the sound was faint, but later on the footsteps were getting nearer and nearer, a large crowd of people were rushing toward Qing Liang Temple. The muscles on Xing Dian's face twitched several times, he reached out to grab the golden pestle. Opening up his eyes, he saw Yulin and Xing Chi were still sitting motionless. He hesitated for a moment, and then he put down the golden pestle, and closed his eyes again.

They heard the crowd burst into Qing Liang Temple and the continuous sound of people yelling and shouting. Wei Xiaobao thought, "When they fail to find the Old Emperor in the temple, can't they come here to look for him? I want to see how you, the old bald thief, are going to stop them."

[tweety365]

Thanks foxs!

[SkyWalker]

Thanks foxs.

[crazee]

Thanks Foxs.....

I don't understand, knowing that lot's of life will be sacrificed if the old emperor is killed, their action is still to leave it to divine interference.

Let's just say if due to this, thosands are killed, won't they bear the consequences for thr unnecessary sufferings ?

I 'don't know buddist teaching....ny care to help ?

[tweety365]

Thanks Foxs.....

I don't understand, knowing that lot's of life will be sacrificed if the old emperor is killed, their action is still to leave it to divine interference.

Let's just say if due to this, thosands are killed, won't they bear the consequences for thr unnecessary sufferings ?

I 'don't know buddist teaching....ny care to help ?

Yulin has something planned. Is this considered spoiler?