The Deer and The Cauldron

[foxs]

Wandering, Sky, you are welcome. Tweety, my point exactly, Smurf thought it was her avatar, and I said it was her username. Gubrak, Smurf, I know you guys are very understanding , but I value you as part of this community, so I think it's only fair that you know what's going on. Ace, it was a classic case of amateurs vs professionals.

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If other people undergo this situation, if they did not completely disheartened, broken hearted and shed some tears, then they would be determined to cut off all feeling and started to look for a better match. Wei Xiaobao, however, by nature was a hoodlum, with thick skin and very strong, tenacious personality; a thick-faced and strong-willed person.

“In short,” he continued his musing, “Laozi will hang around you for the rest of my life. If my life is spent, my soul will not go away, I will cling to you. Even if you marry eighteen times, the nineteenth time will be with laozi.”

He grew up in a brothel, he was accustomed to see the prostitutes welcoming new guests and sending off the old ones. He did not think that a woman’s heart was capable to be attached to any extraordinary important matter; all those ‘faithful unto death’, ‘chaste’ or ‘not double-hearted’, he had never heard of.

He was upset for only a short time, and then was able to giggle while walking over and said, “Zheng Gongzi, you are back; you haven’t been bitten by the barbarians?”

Zheng Keshuang was startled. “What do you mean bitten?” he asked. Ah Ke was also startled; she looked at him up and down; only after seeing that his five sense organs and fingers were whole did she feel relieved.

Feng Xifan was still sitting on the horseback. “Who is this little kid?” he asked.

“He is Miss Chen’s Shidi,” Zheng Keshuang replied. Feng Xifan nodded.

Wei Xiaobao looked up at him, he saw a slim face, yellowish, with black hair, two slanting swallowtail beard, his eyes turned into two slits; he really looked like a tuberculosis ghost. Concerned over Yang Yizhi’s safety, he asked, “Feng Shifu, you really have capability, in just a short time you are able to rescue Zheng Gongzi back. Did you kill that barbarian leader?”

“What barbarian?” Feng Xifan asked, “They dressed up.”

Wei Xiaobao was inwardly shocked; he said, “They dressed up? But they can speak barbarian tongue.”

“Fake!” Feng Xifan said. Feeling it was beneath his dignity to talk too much to this little kid, he turned to Zheng Keshuang and said, “Gongzi, you must be tired, why don’t we go to rest at that ancestral hall over there?”

Ah Ke was concerned about her shifu. “I am afraid Shifu will worry when she wakes up and did not see me.”

“Let’s go back immediately,” Wei Xiaobao said.

Ah Ke looked at Zheng Keshuang, she was hoping he would come with her. Zheng Keshuang said, “Shifu, let’s everybody go to the inn to have something to eat, and some good sleep.”

On the way Wei Xiaobao questioned Zheng Keshuang on how he escaped. Zheng Keshuang boasted on his shifu’s skill, how in just a few moves he killed the barbarians that they scattered away. Wei Xiaobao made sure he heard that ‘the barbarian leader did not lose his life’ before he felt relieved.

By the time they all arrived at the inn, the sky had already brightened, Jiu Nan was already awake for quite some time. She had already expected that Ah Ke would pull Wei Xiaobao to save Zheng Keshuang; therefore, she was not surprised to see the two of them went missing.

When Zheng Keshuang and the others arrived, he introduced Feng Xifan to her. Jiu Nan noticed his listless appearance, but occasionally his eyes would open wide, and she could see the unusual brightness of his gaze; she thought, “This man has a reputation as ‘One Sword without Blood’, apparently his name is not in vain, his martial art is indeed superb.”

After breakfast, Jiu Nan said, “Zheng Gongzi, we, master and disciples, have some business we need to take care of; we’ll have to separate here.”

Zheng Keshuang was startled; he was quite disappointed. “It’s a rare fate that brought me to see Shitai,” he said, “I was just thinking of asking a lot of guidance. I wonder where Shitai is heading; in any case junior does not have any important matter to manage, don’t you think it will be good if we travel together?”

Jiu Nan shook her head and said, “Those who have left home have many inconvenience.” Taking Ah Ke and Wei Xiaobao, she got on the carriage.

Zheng Keshuang was at a loss, he could not say anything. Ah Ke’s eyes turned red at once, she was barely able to refrain from crying. Wei Xiaobao struggled hard to maintain a straight face; he prayed silently, “May Shifu lives to be a hundred years, may she enjoys lots of good fortune and long life. Amituofo, may Buddha bless and protect her.”

“Shifu,” he asked, “Where are we going?”

“Beijing,” Jiu Nan replied.

After half a day, she said coldly, “If that surnamed Zheng is following us, nobody is to pay him any attention. Whichever of you does not obey, I will immediately kill that surnamed Zheng!”

Ah Ke was startled. “Shifu, why?” she asked.

“No reason,” Jiu Nan replied, “I love peace and quiet, I don’t like other people bothering me.”

Ah Ke did not dare to ask further. After a while, suddenly she remembered something. “What if Shidi talked to him?” she asked.

“Same thing,” Jiu Nan replied, “I will kill Zheng Gongzi.”

Wei Xiaobao could not bear it anymore; he coughed, and then snickered.

“Shifu, it’s not fair,” Ah Ke said, “Shidi might deliberately talk to him.”

Jiu Nan glowered at her. “If that surnamed Zheng did not follow us, how can Xiaobao talk to him? If he ignored my request and kept hanging around me, death cannot wipe out his crimes.”

Wei Xiaobao was bursting with joy, he felt that among good people on the earth, nobody surpasses his Shifu. Suddenly he pulled Jiu Nan’s hand and kissed the palm of her hand.

Jiu Nan shook his hand away. “Fooling around!” she spoke sternly. But for more than twenty years there had never been anyone who was this affectionate toward her; although this disciple was unbridled, he was showing a genuine affection. Her mouth was scolding, but a smile appeared at the corners of her mouth.

Ah Ke saw how partial her Shifu was, plus she was wondering when would she see Zheng Gongzi again. The more she thought about it, the sadder she was; tears streamed down on her face.

A few days later the three of them arrived at Beijing, and found a small, secluded inn in Dongcheng [lit. eastern town, a district of central Beijing] area. Jiu Nan went to Wei Xiaobao’s room, bolted the door, and said in a low voice, “Xiaobao, can you guess why we are in Beijing?”

Wei Xiaobao replied, “I am guessing that if not for Tao Gugu, then it must be for those remaining several copies of the sutra.”

Jiu Nan nodded, “Correct,” she said, “It is for those several copies of the sutra.”

After a short pause, she continued slowly, “This time I suffered a very serious injury, I got to think about a lot of things. One person, no matter how perfect he trained his martial art, inevitably his power is lacking. Ultimately, the important matters of the world need the pooling of brains and brawn of the men of great aspiration to succeed. The crowd of heroes initiated the ‘Turtle-Slaying Assembly’ at Hejian Prefecture; I have given it a careful thought: even if we managed to kill Wu Sangui, that traitor, one person, our rivers and mountains are still in the Tatars’ hands. It would be no more than we are venting our resentment for a short while; what else would it do? But if we can obtain the sutras, we can break the Tatars’ dragon vein, by appealing people aspiring to benevolence throughout the world to hold the banner of righteousness together. Only then will we have the hope to recover our Great Ming’s rivers and mountains.”

“Yes, yes,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Shifu is right.”

Jiu Nan said, “I need another half a month to recuperate before my internal energy can fully recover. After that I can go into the Palace to investigate. Finding the whereabouts of the other seven sutras is the first and foremost.”

Wei Xiaobao said, “Let the disciple sneak into the Palace first, I will open my eyes and ears wide. Who knows? The Heaven might bless me so that I can find a clue.”

Jiu Nan nodded. “You are very smart,” she said, “Perhaps you will be able to accomplish this important matter. This big merit …” Speaking to this point, she heaved a deed sigh, her eyes were brimming with encouragement.

Wei Xiaobao had a strong impulse to reveal the truth: “The other five sutras are in disciple’s hand.” But immediately he had a second thought, “Xiao Xuanzi treated me like a true friend; if I helped Shifu, I am destroying his rivers and mountains, then he won’t be the Emperor anymore. Won’t that mean I am violating yi qi too much?”

Seeing his hesitation, Jiu Nan thought he was concerned over if he would succeed or not; thereupon she said, “This matter is indeed very difficult. We simply have to do our best, and that’s all I can ask. This is called ‘man proposes Heaven disposes’ [orig. ‘planning is with man, success is with heaven’]. Ay, I wonder if the Zhu family has reached the end of its destiny, or will there still hope? Over the past dozens of years, all my hopes have turned to dust, my worldly thoughts broken. I did not expect that after seeing Hongying and you, originally I did not want to pay attention to the affairs of the nation, but the affairs of the nation managed to get back to my head.”

Wei Xiaobao said, “Shifu, you are a princess of the Great Ming, these rivers and mountains originally belonged to your family; it was usurped by other people, naturally we must snatch it back.”

Jiu Nan sighed and said, “This matter does not belong to my family alone. All the other members of my family are dead.” Stretching out her arm, she gently stroked Wei Xiaobao’s head, while saying, “Xiaobao, you must never leak even half a word about this matter in front of your Shijie.”

Wei Xiaobao nodded in respond; he thought, “Shijie is such a beautiful and lovely woman, yet Shifu does not like her too much; I wonder what’s the reason? I think it must be because she cannot lick Shifu’s behind.”

Early morning the next day, he went into the Palace to have an audience with the Emperor. Kangxi was greatly delighted; pulling his hand, he laughed and said, “Damn it, why do you come back only today? Every day I am waiting for you. I was quite worried, afraid that you were seized by that evil nun, your little life could not be guaranteed. The day before yesterday Dolong returned and submitted his report, saying that he saw you; only then did I feel relieved. How did you escape?”

“Thank you for Your Majesty’s concern, and sent the Imperial Bodyguards to go looking for your servant,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “That evil nun was originally very angry, she was determined to punch and kick me, later on I told her that Your Majesty is ‘raw bird fish soup’ [niao sheng yu tang, see Chapter 14], is a very good Emperor, that she must not kill you. She spoke many more treason and heresy words. I praised you one sentence, she gave me one slap on the face. Later on I was unwilling to suffer another imminent pain, I had no choice but to shut my mouth and expect for the best.”

Kangxi nodded. “If you were killed by her, that would be for nothing anyway,” he said, “What is actually the evil nun’s background? She came to assassinate me, who sent her?”

“Who sent her, your servant did not know,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “After she kidnapped me that time, she tied my wrists with rope, and then took me away like pulling a circus monkey. Your Majesty, with my mouth I did not dare to curse, but in my heart I cursed her seventeen, eighteen-generation ancestors.”

Kangxi laughed. “I am not surprised,” he said, “Why wouldn’t you?”

“She dragged me along for several days,” Wei Xiaobao continued, “Several times she wanted to kill me, fortunately along the way we came across someone. This man has a friendship relation with your servant; he helped me by saying a lot of good words on my behalf, and then the evil nun stopped beating me.”

“Who was that man?” Kangxi asked in astonishment.

“This man surnamed Yang,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “He is the leader of the Ping Xi Wang’s Heir Apparent warriors.”

Kangxi was very interested. “So he is that servant Wu Sangui’s subordinate?” he asked, “Why did he help you by saying good things on your behalf?”

“Actually, it originated from Your Majesty’s benevolence,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “When the people of Mu Family of Yunnan entered the Palace and created disturbance the other day, they were framing Wu Sangui. Everybody else believed it, but Your Majesty is wise beyond compare, you were able to see through their plot. Your Majesty sent me to pass on the imperial edict to Wu Sangui’s son. It was at that time that the man surnamed Yang met with your servant.”

Kangxi nodded. “So that’s how it is,” he said.

Before entering the Palace, Wei Xiaobao had already prepared a good story; he added, “That man surnamed Yang is called Yang Yizhi. He mentioned the Mu Family incident to the nun, saying that although the Emperor is young, his knowledge and experience may surpass the ‘raw bird fish soup’, very intelligent and wise; practically he is the Daoist Immortal or Bodhisattva descending into the mortal world. The nun was half believing and half doubting, but she did not treat me that strict anymore afterwards. One evening, Yang Yizhi and the nun talked in the room, I pretended to be asleep, but I opened my ears. Turned out the nun came to assassinate the Emperor under someone else’s order.”

“It’s Wu Sangui, that servant,” Kangxi said.

Wei Xiaobao’s face showed a shocked expression. “So Your Majesty already know,” he said, “Did Dolong report it to you?”

“No, he did not,” Kangxi said, “The leader of Wu Sangui’s warriors knew this nun, and he discussed this matter with the nun in secret; what good can come out of that?”

Wei Xiaobao was startled but delighted; he kneeled down and kowtowed, saying, “Your Majesty, I am overjoyed to work for you; whatever it is, you can always guess it right the first time, no need for me to tell you. In all our lives, everything will be fine, we will never lose to anybody else.”

[CNProf]

I think it must be because she cannot lick Shifu’s behind.

WXB is crazy.

Thanks for the translation foxs.

[SkyWalker]

Thanks foxs!

WXB has many great friends. I wonder who he will side with in the end. Ming or Qing. I wonder if that actually makes any difference to him.

[tweety365]

Wei Xiaobao struggled hard to maintain a straight face; he prayed silently, “May Shifu lives to be a hundred years, may she enjoys lots of good fortune and long life. Amituofo, may Buddha bless and protect her.”

Jiu Nan glowered at her. “If that surnamed Zheng did not follow us, how can Xiaobao talk to him? If he ignored my request and kept hanging around me, death cannot wipe out his crimes.”

Wei Xiaobao was bursting with joy, he felt that among good people on the earth, nobody surpasses his Shifu. Suddenly he pulled Jiu Nan’s hand and kissed the palm of her hand.

I was at WXB's antics. Up till now, I don't think he ever wholeheartedly prayed for anyone's wellbeing before. Jiu Nan really is special .

Thank you, foxs!

[crazee]

Wow...never expected another translated part so fast....Thanks Foxs.

It's funny that Jui Nan do not seem to trust Ah Ke but within a short time trust XB instead.
I really suppose XB must be really naturally gifted as the people around him seems to like him and trusts him....is it because of his age ? or is it his character ? yes everyone likes and trust him except Ah Ke.

I feel Ah Ke quite pitiful....don't you all agree ??

[tweety365]

I do feel that Ah Ke is a pitiful character, especially later on when more is revealed about her background. There is a very good reason why Jui Nan does not trust Ah Ke. However, personality and intelligence make it hard to actually like her.

[sablemagi]

Thanks foxs for the translation. I am totally loving this story

[smurf120]

I was at WXB's antics. Up till now, I don't think he ever wholeheartedly prayed for anyone's wellbeing before. Jiu Nan really is special .

Thank you, foxs!

LOL Tweety! I was about to quote the same comment. Also

"If other people undergo this situation, if they did not completely disheartened, broken hearted and shed some tears, then they would be determined to cut off all feeling and started to look for a better match. Wei Xiaobao, however, by nature was a hoodlum, with thick skin and very strong, tenacious personality; a thick-faced and strong-willed person. "

even JY called WXB a hoodlum.


"He grew up in a brothel, he was accustomed to see the prostitutes welcoming new guests and sending off the old ones. He did not think that a woman’s heart was capable to be attached to any extraordinary important matter; all those ‘faithful unto death’, ‘chaste’ or ‘not double-hearted’, he had never heard of."

I don't think that XB disrespects women anymore than any other group of people he has met in his life as he is heaps more intelligent than everybody else in streetsmarts. I think the above quote is relating to male-female relationships. It is refreshing that a main character in an ancient story who will not look down on a woman just because she does not stay with the same man all the time or retains "virginal purity".

[tweety365]

LOL Tweety! I was about to quote the same comment.

Yup, I find this update immensely entertaining. Ah Ke can marry 18 times, but WXB does not mind being the 19th husband. He really is persistent!

[crazee]

Yup, I find this update immensely entertaining. Ah Ke can marry 18 times, but WXB does not mind being the 19th husband. He really is persistent!

Right on....if that's not what you call love... then I really don't know what love is...

[wandering]

off topic..but you do realize the animated character tweetie bird is a male right?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tweety

should add..i didn't realize this till last week when i saw an old episode when he was hanging out with a pink tweetie bird

[tweety365]

off topic..but you do realize the animated character tweetie bird is a male right?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tweety

should add..i didn't realize this till last week when i saw an old episode when he was hanging out with a pink tweetie bird

Are you implying that I am a man in disguise?

[foxs]

CNProf, Sky, sablemagi, thanks for dropping by. Crazee, Ah Ke was an 'empty' girl, but I don't think it was 'love' on WXB's part. Smurf, nobody has ever taught him anything either, and I always like your assessment on his character. Wandering, LOL, now Tweety will have to change her username. Tweety, you must be a man disguised as a palace maid, only I am sure you will look a lot prettier than 'her' ...

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Kangxi laughed and said, “Get up, get up! Last time it was dangerous enough at the Qingliang Temple on Mount Wutai. If you did not risk your life by blocking in front of me …” Speaking to this point, his expression turned serious; he continued, “This traitor’s evil plot would have prevailed.” Thinking how that day the nun in white strike like thunder or lightning, he could not help but shiver.

Wei Xiaobao said, “Actually, when the nun’s sword was thrust your way, your movement was very quick, naturally you could have used the move ‘single cloud coming out of the mountain peak’ to evade, and then you turned around and used the ‘red-crowned crane combing its tail feathers’ to strike the evil nun’s shoulder. She must have cried out ‘Surrender!’; it’s just that I was afraid you might be injured, my mind was confused, I was only thinking of blocking in front of you, to take the sword on your behalf. Your Majesty has not had any opportunity to unleash your martial art skill and create a stir in front of the Shaolin monks; it was indeed a pity.”

Kangxi burst out in laughter; he knew perfectly well that if that day Wei Xiaobao did not block in front of him, he would have died from the nun in white’s stab. This little fellow was so loyal and unexpectedly did not claim any credit for himself; a person like him was indeed hard to come by. He laughed and said, “You are very young, yet your official duty is already quite big. Wait till you are a few years older, I will promote you to be a high-ranking official.”

Wei Xiaobao shook his head and said, “I don’t want to be a high-ranking official; I only hope to go on missions for Your Majesty. As long as I do not provoke you into anger, I am perfectly contented.”

Kangxi patted his shoulder. “Very good, very good,” he said, “Just do what I told you to do, I will be very happy, how can I be angry at you? What else did that man surnamed Yang say to the nun?”

Wei Xiaobao said, “Yang Yizhi repeatedly persuaded the nun, saying that there are a lot of good things about Your Majesty. He said that Wu Sangui has shown kindness to his father, hence before his father died, he beseeched him to protect Wu Sangui. But Wu Sangui single-mindedly wants to be the Emperor, which is really a treason and heresy, something that he should have never wanted. When this matter is exposed in the future, everybody will be executed along with his family unto the third generation. The nun also said that her entire family was wiped our by the Ta … Ta … by us, Manchu people. Wu Sangui treated her with full respect. She came to assassinate you, first of all it was to give Wu Sangui a lot of face, secondly, she wanted to avenge her father and mother. The rest of her family has already died, hence she was not afraid of execution unto the third generation.”

Kangxi nodded. Wei Xiaobao continued, “Yang Yizhi said that Your Majesty treats the common people well, if … if she harmed you, and Wu Sangui became the Emperor, although he would become a high-ranking officer or a great general, but the common people under the heavens might suffer great hardship. The nun is actually softhearted, she pays particular attention to mercy. After thinking for a long time, she said that he was right, therefore, she decided not to continue her mission. The two of them then agreed that if Wu Sangui sent another assassin, the two of them would kill this assassin in secret.”

Kangxi happily said, “Those two people actually understood virtuous cause very well.”

Wei Xiaobao said, “But Yang Yizhi said that there was one more thing that is not easy to accomplish.”

“What other strange thing is that?” Kangxi asked.

Wei Xiaobao said, “The two of them talked in low voice for quite a while, it was not too clear to me, I only heard something like ‘Yan Pin Jun Wang’ and ‘Zheng Family of Taiwan’ was mentioned, it seems to me that Wu Sangui wanted to divide the world equally with somebody surnamed Zheng.”

Kangxi stood up; he said in a loud voice, “Turns out that servant is colluding with those Taiwan’s rebellious thieves in secret.”

Wei Xiaobao asked, “What kind of damned b@stard is Zheng Family of Taiwan?”

“That rebellious thief surnamed Zheng illegally occupy Taiwan,” Kangxi explained, “They refuse to accept beneficial influence of the sovereign; only because they are far away overseas that temporarily it is not easy to pacify that region.”

Wei Xiaobao’s expression showed that he had just suddenly seen the light. “So that’s what happened,” he said, “By this time the more I heard, the more your servant was angry, thinking that these rivers and mountains are Your Majesty’s, what kind of ‘thing’ are those men surnamed Wu and surname Zheng anyway? How dare they want to divide Your Majesty’s land under the heavens equally? Yang Yizhi said that the one surnamed Zheng of Taiwan sent his second son, his name was Zheng Ke … Zheng Ke …”

“Zheng Keshuang,” Kangxi said.

“Yes, yes,” Wei Xiaobao happily said, “Your Majesty knows everything.”

Kangxi smiled without saying anything. The fact was: for the last several years he had been planning and preparing to take Taiwan back under his territory, he had long ago acquired clear information on the names of the Zheng family father and sons, as well as Taiwan’s military strength and their naval situation.

“That Zheng Keshuang visited Yunnan recently,” Wei Xiaobao continued, “He had a meeting with Wu Sangui for over half a month.”

Kangxi’s face suddenly showed displeasure. “Is there such thing?” he wondered aloud.

Taiwan and Yunnan were actually two regions that he was concerned about the most. He had never thought that Zheng and Wu, two people, would join hands in conspiracy. It was only this time that he heard about Zheng Keshuang’s visit to Yunnan.

Wei Xiaobao said, “Taiwan has a fellow whose martial art skill is very high, he protected Zheng Keshuang all the way. This fellow is surnamed Feng, he is called One Sword Bleeding [yi jian chu xue] or something like that.”

“One Sword without Blood [yi jian wu xue] Feng Xifan,” Kangxi said, “Along with Liu Guoxuan and Chen Yonghua, they are known as the Three Tigers of Taiwan.”

Hearing the Emperor mentioning his shifu’s real name, Wei Xiaobao’s heart turned cold. “Yes, yes,” he said, “Exactly, it was One Sword without Blood Feng Xifan. Yang Yizhi said that among the three tigers of Taiwan, Chen Yonghua is the good one, Feng Xifan and the other one are the bad ones. Chen Yonghua is unwilling to join the rebellion against Your Majesty, it’s just that he is only one tiger, he cannot stand up against the other two tigers.”

In front of Kangxi he was speaking good things about Jiu Nan, Yang Yizhi and Chen Jinnan, three people, for a one in ten thousand chance that they were captured by the Qing court, then he already had something with which he could try to save them.

Kangxi shook his head. “That’s not necessarily true,” he said, “Chen Yonghua is a lot more formidable than the other two tigers.”

Wei Xiaobao said, “Yang Yizhi also told that nun that there are too many Wu Sangui’s adversaries in Jianghu, they assembled at Hejian Prefecture in a congress called the ‘Slaying-Turtle Assembly’, in which they discussed ways to kill Wu Sangui. That Zheng Keshuang and Feng Xifan mingled in the congress to gather information which they will then pass on to Wu Sangui. The longer they talked, their voices were getting lower and lower, I was trying to listen hard for half a day, and after knowing that they were not planning on harming Your Majesty, I did not pay too much attention anymore. Afterwards I fell asleep for real. Your Majesty, in this case your servant was a little bit lazy, but I was extremely exhausted. Around midnight Yang Yizhi quietly awakened me, unsealed my acupoints, and told me that the nun was meditating to cultivate her internal energy, he told me that it was the best time for me to sneak out.”

Kangxi nodded. “That man surnamed Yang actually still has conscience,” he said.

“Isn’t that so?” Wei Xiaobao said, “When in the future Your Majesty put Wu Sangui to death, I am asking Your Majesty to show mercy by sparing this Yang Yizhi’s life.”

Kangxi said, “If he can render meritorious service, not only I will spare his life, I will also bestow him rewards. What else did you hear at the ‘Slaying-Turtle Assembly’?”

Wei Xiaobao said, “Each province elected an alliance leader, that Zheng Keshuang was elected Mengzhu of Fujian province, I think Fujian, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Shanxi or something are put under their Zheng Family’s jurisdiction.”

Kangxi smiled; he thought, “Xiao Guizi is wrong, it must be Jiangxi, not Shanxi.”

With hands behind his back, he paced back and forth in the Study Room. Successively he went back and forth for dozens of times before he suddenly said, “Xiao Guizi, do you dare to go to Yunnan?”

Wei Xiaobao was startled; it was really beyond his expectation. “Your Majesty wants me to go secretly gather information at Wu Sangui’s place over there?” he asked.

Kangxi nodded; “This mission is indeed dangerous,” he said, “But you are young, Wu Sangui will not guard against you. Plus that Yang Yizhi is your friend, he will definitely look after you.”

“Yes,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Your Majesty, it’s not that I am afraid of going to Yunnan, but I have just returned to the Palace, I haven’t seen you quite a few days yet, and now I have to leave you, I really hate to part with you.”

Kangxi nodded. “Yes,” he said, “I have the same feeling. Too bad that I am the Emperor, I can’t move around as I wish; otherwise the two of us can go to Yunnan together, I’ll grab Wu Sangui’s beard, you grab his hands, and together we’ll ask, ‘Damn it Wu Sangui, are you going to surrender or not?’ Won’t that be amusing?”

Wei Xiaobao laughed. “That’s a wonderful idea,” he said, “Your Majesty, you cannot go to Yunnan, I’ll swindle Wu Sangui to come to the Palace, and then we can grab his beard, what do you think?”

Kangxi burst out in loud laughter. “Good! Fabulous!” he said, “I am just afraid this servant is a wily old fox, he won’t be duped easily. Ah, Xiao Guizi, I have an idea that won’t raise his suspicion.”

“Your Majesty’s divine strategy is definitely very brilliant,” Wei Xiaobao said.

“We will marry Princess Jianning to his son,” Kangxi said, “Now that we become in-laws, he could not possibly guard against us.”

Wei Xiaobao was startled, “You want to marry her to that fellow Wu Yingxiong?” he asked, “This … isn’t this too convenient for him?”

Kangxi said, “She is that old s1ut’s daughter. We marry her to Yunnan, let her suffer a little bit of hardship first. In the future, when Wu Sangui is executed, along with his entire family unto the third generation, she will be executed together with them.” His voice was brimming with hatred.

Originally he liked this little sister very much, but ever since he found out that the Empress Dowager murdered his own mother and angered his father that he left home to become a monk, he also hated this little sister. He added, “At that time I can say that the old s1ut did not raise her daughter properly, then I can force her to commit suicide.”

“Your Majesty,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Your servant has just heard a huge good news. Your Majesty must be very happy to hear it.”

“What good news?” Kangxi asked.

Wei Xiaobao put his mouth near Kangxi’s ear and said in a low voice, “That old s1ut is a fake Empress Dowager, the real Empress Dowager is still alive and well in the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful.” In front of Kangxi, he still did not dare to utter the word ‘old wh0re’.

Kangxi was shocked. “What?” he said in a trembling voice, “What do you mean fake Empress Dowager?”

Thereupon Wei Xiaobao told Kangxi in details how the fake Empress Dowager imprisoned the real Empress Dowager, and then she assumed the Empress Dowager’s identity to commit all kinds of evil.

Kangxi was dumbstruck; he was speechless for half a day. After a long time passed he finally said, “Is there really such thing? Is there really such thing …? How did you know?”

Wei Xiaobao said, “Knowing the old s1ut’s malicious character, your servant was afraid she might harm Your Majesty; therefore, I bribed a palace maid in the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful to secretly spy on her. As soon as I know something is not right, I will notify Your Majesty immediately, so that we can strike first and gain the upper hand. As soon as your servant entered the Palace today, the palace maid told me this very important matter.”

Beads of perspiration streamed down from Kangxi’s forehead; he said in a trembling voice, “Where is that palace maid?”

Wei Xiaobao said, “I thought that this secret is too big; if she leaked it out, the consequences might be very serious. Therefore, your servant brazenly pushed her into a well, making sure that nobody will find her. Ay, I really wronged her.”

Kangxi nodded, a relief expression briefly appeared on his face. “You handled it well,” he said, “Tomorrow you pull her body up and give her a decent burial, find out where her family is, and generously give them gift to comfort the bereaved.”

“Yes, yes,” Wei Xiaobao said, “I will do as Your Majesty’s instructed.”

“This matter should not be delayed,” Kangxi said, “Let us go to the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful at once.” Finished speaking, he stood up, fetched a couple of swords from the wall and gave one sword to Wei Xiaobao. He said in a low voice, “We are going to take care of this matter ourselves, we must not let the palace maids and the court eunuchs know.”

Wei Xiaobao nodded. “Your Majesty,” he said, “The old s1ut’s martial art is formidable, as soon as I enter the room to grasp her, Your Majesty should cut off her arms first, and then we can ask her the details.”

Kangxi nodded. “Very well!” he said.

Wei Xiaobao said, “Your Majesty should take a lot of Imperial Bodyguards, have them wait outside the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful. If the situation turns really bad, we will have to call for help. Otherwise, if your servant is unable to hold the fake Empress Dowager firmly, this old s1ut might dash out and assault Your Majesty’s ten-thousand-gold body; that … that might be very inappropriate.”

[SkyWalker]

Thanks foxs. And I agreed that WXB may not be in love with Ah Ke. I think it's because he can't have her that he's so infatuated with her.

New mission to Yunnan. Can't wait to find out what kind of trouble WXB will cause once he's there. Wu Sangui better run fast!!!

[smurf120]

I'm so happy we are finally done with Ah Ke/ZKS nonsense! I must say this is the first time I wanted to learn more about Niu Nan's story - she is always portrayed to be cold and slightly demented (revenge driven, crying, laughing, plotting, more crying) in the tv series.

I don't think it is true love with Ah Ke either. Only true feelings are bromance with Kangxi - I love their scenes together:

[Kangxi nodded. “Yes,” he said, “I have the same feeling. Too bad that I am the Emperor, I can’t move around as I wish; otherwise the two of us can go to Yunnan together, I’ll grab Wu Sangui’s beard, you grab his hands, and together we’ll ask, ‘Damn it Wu Sangui, are you going to surrender or not?’ Won’t that be amusing?”

Wei Xiaobao laughed. “That’s a wonderful idea,” he said, “Your Majesty, you cannot go to Yunnan, I’ll swindle Wu Sangui to come to the Palace, and then we can grab his beard, what do you think?”]

[tweety365]

WXB may have a lot of shortcomings, but his yi qi is definitely very admirable.

Thanks for the update, foxs.

[crazee]

Thanks Foxs......

It's nice to be with KangXi and the palace again......

Yes, XB's adventure is getting a bit stale and it nice to see his currying skills again.
Again, our hero is putting all his knowledge to his favour... it a no wonder that he gets to be the fav of Kangxi....

[Anh Nam]

Thanks Foxs

[foxs]

Sky, Smurf, I feel sorry for Ah Ke though ... Tweety, you got that right. Crazee, I agree, new mission, no more love triangle ... Actually, I cannot call it a 'triangle', can I? Ah Ke and Zheng Keshuang loved each other, it was Wei Xiaobao who wanted her. Anh, you are welcome.

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Kangxi nodded; he made a decision right then and there: “If we absolutely have to have the Imperial Bodyguards’ help, after everything is done, these Imperial Bodyguards will have to be executed to close their mouths.”

Kangxi went out the Study Room and summoned eight Imperial Bodyguards to escort him. When they arrived outside the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, he ordered the Imperial Bodyguards to wait far away in the flower garden, while together with Wei Xiaobao they walked straight toward the Empress Dowager’s personal quarter. One after another the palace maids and court eunuchs of the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful kneeled down to greet him. Kangxi said, “All of you go to the garden, nobody can come here.” Everybody obeyed and went away.

Wei Xiaobao knew that the fake Empress Dowager had sent his shifu Jiu Nan seven ‘transforming bones soft palm’ palm strikes, but all of this sinister and ruthless palm power was returned to her. Although his shifu had taught her how to dissolve the poison, but henceforth, as soon as she used internal energy, the bones in her body would immediately break into one-cun pieces. By counting the day, he calculated that by this time the poisonous power had not been completely dissolved; but even if it had, he calculated that she would not dare to fight. Plus, he still had the Five-Dragon Command in his hand. With this knowledge that he had a secure backing, his heart was calm.

Kangxi, on the other hand, knew that this fake Empress Dowager’s martial art skill was very formidable; his entire martial art skill was actually taught by him. Even if he had Wei Xiaobao as his backup, the skill difference between them was indeed very far. Their only advantage was that the two of them had a pair of swords, while she was barehanded, and that she was going to be caught unprepared, just like when they were dealing with Oboi in the past. And thus when he entered the bedroom, his palms were wet with perspiration.

Wei Xiaobao thought, “Today is my chance to set up a great merit, I am going to pounce on the old wh0re, His Majesty only know that I am dashing on bravely without any thought of my personal safety, while in fact I am beating up a dead dog who cannot move a single step. Beating up a dead dog is what laozi can do best.” In a low voice he said, “This s1ut’s martial art is superb, Your Majesty must not take any risk. Let your servant move first!” Kangxi nodded, his right hand tightly grabbed the hilt of his sword.

When they entered the bedroom, they did not see anybody there, the bed curtain was hanging down. The Empress Dowager’s voice came out from inside the bed curtain, “Emperor, you have not visited the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful for many days; are you well?”

Previously, Kangxi would visit the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful every day to pay his respect to the Empress Dowager. Ever since he learned the inside story, his heart was filled with unspeakable hatred, hence his visit became very scarce.

Kangxi and Wei Xiaobao had not expected that she would sleep in the bed during the day, whatever method they had previously planned was quite useless now. Kangxi said, “I heard the Empress Dowager is not feeling very well, your son is paying the Empress Dowager a visit.” He made an eye signal to Wei Xiaobao, ordering him, “Raise the bed curtain!”

“Cha!” Wei Xiaobao complied[4], and walked toward the bed.

“I am afraid of the wind,” the Empress Dowager said, “Don’t raise the bed curtain.”

Kangxi thought, “If I did not heed her words and raise the bed curtain by force, she might guard against me.” He said, “Yes. I wonder what ailment does the Empress Dowager suffer; have you taken any medicine?”

“I have,” the Empress Dowager replied, “The imperial doctor says it’s a very light common cold, nothing serious.”

Kangxi said, “Your son wants to see how does the Empress Dowager look? Do you have any fever?”

The Empress Dowager sighed and said, “I look all right, you do not need to see. Emperor, please go back.”

Suspicion arose in Kangxi’s heart, “What trick is she playing?”

Wei Xiaobao noticed the bed was pitch-black, he turned his body around and made a signal to Kangxi, hinting that he was going to grab her feet, and the Emperor should hack with his sword. In that instant, Kangxi was having a second thought, “Supposing everything Xiao Guizi said is wrong, then what happen? Although the man dressed as palace maid was real, but perhaps the Empress Dowager was just having a dirty confusion of mind against the Palace’s prohibition, and could not control her desire. Once my sword is chopping down, in case she is the real Empress Dowager, and not an impostor, won’t I not only be a muddle head, but an unfilial son as well? I would rather have the fake Empress Dowager guards against me and have the Imperial Bodyguards come to help me capturing her, but I must not be reckless in dealing with this matter and thus chopping and harming the real Empress Dowager.” Thereupon he shook his head and waved his hand, ordering Wei Xiaobao to back off.

“Empress Dowager,” he said, “Your son is worried.” In a quick step he walked to the bed and stretched out his hand to open the bed curtain.

As the brocaded curtain parted, he saw the Empress Dowager quickly turned around, facing the inside of the bed. Yet in that instant Kangxi was able to catch a glimpse of Empress Dowager’s thin cheeks, her appearance was substantially different. “Empress Dowager,” he said, “You, Senior suddenly became very thin lately.” His voice trembled.

The Empress Dowager sighed and said, “Ever since returning from Mount Wutai, my appetite has been bad, every day I can only eat less than half a bowl of rice. When looking at the mirror, I almost cannot recognize myself.”

Kangxi thought, “Xiao Guizi’s words are obviously not a lie, this old s1ut did not expect I would suddenly come back, she is sleeping on the bed, thinking that nobody would see her, today she did not put on her disguise, hence no matter what she did not allow me to see her face. Now that I have seen it with my own eyes, could I be mistaken?”

Burning with anger, he shouted loudly, “Aiyo, Empress Dowager, there’s a big rat behind the hanging bed curtain. Help! Quickly roll up the bed curtain to catch the rat!” While saying that, he retreated two steps backward, afraid that when the Empress Dowager saw her plot had been exposed, she might suddenly turn violent and attack.

But he only heard the Empress Dowager’s trembling voice, “What rat behind the bed curtain?”

Wei Xiaobao stepped forward to draw the woolen cord to roll up the curtain, exposing a wardrobe door behind it. “Uh!” Kangxi exclaimed, “Turns out there is a big wardrobe in here, the rat must be hiding inside the wardrobe!” While thinking, “Now that most of this matter has been exposed, she is prepared, we cannot launch a sneak attack anymore.” Retreating toward the door, he beckoned toward Wei Xiaobao and said, “Summon the Imperial Bodyguards to come in. There’s a strange noise in the wardrobe, we must not let any assassin hiding in there and frighten the Empress Dowager.”

“Yes,” Wei Xiaobao said. He turned outside and called out loudly from the door, “Summon the Imperial Bodyguards!” Eight Imperial Bodyguards appeared in front of the bedroom door and bowed, awaiting the imperial decree.

The Empress Dowager angrily said, “Emperor, what trick are you playing?”

Kangxi laughed and said, “Ah, right. Princess Jianning is hiding inside the wardrobe, playing hide-and-seek. Empress Dowager, I’ve been looking for her everywhere, she must be inside the wardrobe.” He waved his right hand.

Wei Xiaobao immediately opened the wardrobe, but the wardrobe door was locked, he could not open it. Kangxi laughed and said, “Empress Dowager, where is the wardrobe key?”

The Empress Dowager angrily said, “I am not feeling well, you two children are actually coming to my room to play. Quickly get out for me.” The Imperial Bodyguards knew that the Emperor often played with Princess Jianning. Hearing the Empress Dowager, they all broke into smile.

Kangxi said, “Pry the wardrobe door open. The Empress Dowager is ill, we must not disturb her, the Senior.”

“Yes,” Wei Xiaobao complied. From his boot he pulled his dagger and inserted it into the wardrobe door. With a light cut the lock catch broke. He then pulled the handle and the wardrobe door opened smoothly. He saw a pile of brocade quilt inside, exactly what he saw that night inside the wardrobe, but there was nobody inside.

Wei Xiaobao was startled, “That night I clearly saw the real Empress Dowager was hidden inside the wardrobe,” he mused, “How can she disappear all of a sudden? Could it be that the old wh0re is afraid my shifu might reveal her secret and thus has killed the real Empress Dowager?”

Opening up the brocade quilt inside the wardrobe, he could vaguely see a book at the bottom of the quilt, the book looked like the ‘Forty-two-chapter Sutra’. Hastily he put down the brocade quilt to cover the book. Turning his head around, he saw Kangxi’s bewildered expression; when he turned his attention toward the bed again, he noticed the quilt on the bed was bulging, apparently there was someone else hiding underneath the bedding. “The Princess is hiding inside the Empress Dowager’s bedding,” he happily said.

“Quickly pull her out,” Kangxi urgently said. He was afraid that realizing her secret was exposed, the fake Empress Dowager would immediately kill the real Empress Dowager.

Wei Xiaobao rushed toward the bed and put his hand underneath the bedding at the Empress Dowager’s foot side, with the intention of pulling the real Empress Dowager’s foot out. As soon as he reached in, he felt that he was touching a hairy leg, and could not help but was very shocked. Right this moment, a big foot suddenly shot out and kicked his chest. “Aiyo!” Wei Xiaobao screamed, and fell backward.

The quilt rose up, a stark-naked meatball leaped out; carrying the quilt, with the Empress Dowager inside, the meatball dashed out of the door.

The eight Imperial Bodyguards was greatly shocked; hastily they tried to block, but the meatball struck them. Three Imperial Bodyguards flew out of the door and fell on the ground outside the bedroom. Carrying the Empress Dowager, the meatball dashed out.

Kangxi bolted to the door, but saw that the meatball was leaping out as if it was flying. In just a few leaps it already reached the garden wall. With one leap it reached the top of the wall, and immediately disappeared on the other side. “Quickly pursue!” Kangxi shouted.

Three Imperial Bodyguards were struck by the meatball and were unable to crawl up from the ground. The remaining five Imperial Bodyguards rushed toward the wall, but they could no longer see the meatball’s shadow.

Wei Xiaobao’s mind was fuzzy, there was a severe pain on his chest. He scrambled up toward the wardrobe, reached into the quilt, grabbed the sutra, and hid it inside his pocket. He heard Kangxi’s shouts in the garden, “Come back, come back!” Wei Xiaobao turned around and fell to the floor. He heard footsteps as the Imperial Bodyguards rushed back. Outside the bedroom, Kangxi ordered the Imperial Bodyguards, “Everybody stay here, don’t make any noise.”

Kangxi returned to the bedroom, closed the door, and said in a low voice, “What happened?”

Propping himself against a table, Wei Xiaobao stood up and said, “Mon … monster!” In his shock his face was devoid of any color.

Kangxi shook his head and said, “That’s not a monster! He is the old s1ut’s male adulterer.”

Wei Xiaobao’s mind had not cleared up yet. “What male adulterer?” he asked.

“That was a man, didn’t you see?” Kangxi said, “A short and fat man.”

Wei Xiaobao was astonished, but amused at the same time; he said, “The old s1ut was hiding a … short and fat man who was not wearing anything!”

Kangxi’s expression looked grave. “What about the real Empress Dowager?” he asked.

“It would be best if … if she has not been killed by the old s1ut …” Wei Xiaobao said. Suddenly he remembered something. Lifting up the mattress on the Empress Dowager’s bed, he said, “There is a secret compartment underneath the bed.” But he only saw an unsheathed platinum Emei Sting in the secret compartment; nothing else. Hesitatingly he said, “Let’s lift open the bed board and take a look.”

Kangxi rushed forward and helped Wei Xiaobao lifting up the bed board. They saw a woman lying on a mat underground, her body was covered with a thin quilt. When the bed board was in place, it seemed that the board was approximately less than half a chi from this woman’s face.

The bed room was dark, they could not see clearly. “Quickly light a candle,” Kangxi said.

Wei Xiaobao lighted a candle and brought the candlestick close to the hole. They saw the woman’s countenance was pale, her face was goose egg’s shape; apparently, she was the real Empress Dowager hidden inside the wardrobe the other night. The last time Kangxi saw the real Empress Dowager, he was very young. After so many years, he was not sure if she was the real Empress Dowager or not. Yet seeing this woman’s appearance looked a lot like the Empress Dowager he had seen daily, busily he helped her up and asked, “Is it … is it the Empress Dowager?”

With the candlelight right in front of her face, the woman temporarily was unable to open her eyes. “You … you …” she said.

Wei Xiaobao said, “This is the current Emperor, he has personally come here to rescue your sacred good self.”

The woman opened her eyes a slit, she gazed at Kangxi for a moment, and then with a trembling voice said, “Are you … are you really the Emperor?” Suddenly, “Wah!” she cried and reached out to embrace Kangxi and hugged him tightly.

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[4] I don’t know if there is any English word for this, basically ‘Cha’ is ‘yes’, used by a subject to the Emperor. (Not that I am an expert, but I’ve watched enough movies to know this … )

[crazee]

Sky, Smurf, I feel sorry for Ah Ke though ... Tweety, you got that right. Crazee, I agree, new mission, no more love triangle ... Actually, I cannot call it a 'triangle', can I? Ah Ke and Zheng Keshuang loved each other, it was Wei Xiaobao who wanted her. Anh, you are welcome.

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[4] I don’t know if there is any English word for this, basically ‘Cha’ is ‘yes’, used by a subject to the Emperor. (Not that I am an expert, but I’ve watched enough movies to know this … )

Phew......how exciting, a frightful adventure and of course another merit for our hero....
and another sutra ? How lucky.

Off..... btw, I love the pretty tweety's avatar ...err who's it supposed to be ?

Yes....everytime the royal master /mistress commands the servant/slave will answer "cha" geneflecting.....I find such scenes interesting and grand.

Thanks again foxs......

AND I'm NO 1 heh heh heh