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Thread: The Deer and The Cauldron

  1. #1961
    Senior Member foxs's Avatar
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    Default Chapter 32 - Part 6

    Crazee, sorry ... I was a couple of hours late ... It was a hectic day. Smurf, the historical Chen Yuanyuan ... never mind. I don't want to write anything that might be construed as spoiler. Anh, Sky, Muliono, you are most welcome. Enjoy your weekend.


    Actually, Wu Sangui had already surrendered to him. But as soon as he heard that he had snatched me, he borrowed Manchurian troops, leading them to breach the Pass. Ay, this is the ‘One wave of headgear-lifting anger propelled him, all for the sake of the fair-faced one’ part. Li Zicheng led his army out to meet him, he fought Wu Sangui on a slab of stone. Manchu’s elite troops suddenly appeared, Li Zicheng’s army was utterly defeated. They said that on the slab-of-stone battlefield there was blood everywhere; along several dozen li road, there were dead bodies everywhere. They said that these people died because of me; it was me who caused these several tens of thousands people’s death. Have I really heaped such a heinous sin upon myself?

    After his defeat, Li Zicheng returned to Beijing and ascended the throne as the Emperor, he called himself the Emperor of the Great Shun Country. He took me fleeing to the west, Wu Sangui was hot on our trail. Although Li Zicheng was defeated, his laughter was still very much straightforward. The soldiers and officers under his command numbered less and less as the days gone by, his situation was more and more unfavorable, but he did not seem to care. He said that he started with nothing, at worst he would end up with nothing; what’s so strange about that? He said that there were three things he was most proud of in all his life: first, he had hounded the Ming Dynasty Emperor to his death, second, he had been an emperor, and third, he had slept with the number one beauty in the world. This man’s talk was very vulgar; he said that among those three accomplishments, he was most proud of the third.

    Wu Sangui also wholeheartedly wants to be the Emperor; he has never said it, but I know. It’s just that in his heart he is afraid, he always hesitates; he thought about making his move, but did not dare to do so. As long as he did not die today, there will come a day that he may become the Emperor. It’s all right if he became the Emperor here in Kunming, it’s all right if he became the Emperor only for a day.

    Emperor Yong Li fled to Myanmar, Wu Sangui pursued him and killed him. People say that three Emperors have died in my hands: Chong Zhen, Yong Li, and this Emperor Li Zicheng of the Great Shun Country. How did I become responsible of Emperor Chong Zhen’s account? I wonder if Wu Sangui is going to die today. If he became the Emperor in the future, will they say that I killed another Emperor? The Great Ming’s rivers and mountains, several hundred thousand soldiers, several millions common people, plus four Emperors; it was I, Chen Yuanyuan, who killed them all. Yet I have not committed even a single bad deed, I have not even uttered any harmful word to anybody.”

    Her ears kept hearing the ‘bing, bing, bang, bang’ of the weapons colliding with each other; when she looked up, she saw Li Zicheng and Wu Sangui were jumping high and crouching low, their fight was very fierce. Although these two men were already old, their movements were still very agile. In all her life, she was most afraid of watching men killing each other, and right now that loathing feeling was evident on her face. She also recalled what happened in the past, “After the crushing defeat, the troops and soldiers under Li Zicheng’s command scattered everywhere. Even in the night, he was no longer with me. Wu Sangui’s subordinates found me, and hastily presented me to their commander-in-chief. Naturally he was overjoyed. He said that people cursed him as the big traitor, but for my sake, bearing this bad reputation was worth it. I really appreciate his affection. I don’t care if he is the big traitor or a big loyal minister, because he was being true to me; for my sake, he would do anything. Other than him, nobody has ever treated me this way.

    At that time I thought that from now on I would live a peaceful and happy life. I don’t care about first-pin rank Madame, or second-pin rank Madame; I only hoped that I would not have to run around in circles from one man’s hand to the other. But … but … after living in Kunming for several years, he was bestowed the title Qin Wang [Prince], and a Qin Wang must have a fujin [Manchurian word for ‘wife’]. His first wife has passed away early on. His younger brother Wu Sanmei came to me and told me that because of this fujin matter, Wangye was in great distress. By right, he should have taken me as his fujin, but everybody in the world knew my family background. If he reported my name so that the Emperor could confer an honorary title by imperial edict, unavoidably he would profane the imperial court. Naturally I understood that as a Qin Wang, he resented my background as a lowly woman, a prostitute; that I was not fit to receive honorary title by the Emperor. I did not want to make things difficult for him; without waiting for Wu Sanmei to finish, I told him that it was an easy matter, I told him to ask Wangye to pick a wise and virtuous woman from a famous family as his fujin, to avoid smearing his reputation. He came to apologize to me, telling me that he had indeed been unfair to me. Humph, becoming fujin or not, what’s the big deal? It’s just that eventually I understood that his affection to me had also reached its end. I moved out from the Mansion, because Wangye wanted to officially marry, he had to establish his fujin.

    Right around that time, Li Zicheng suddenly appeared in front of me. He has become a Buddhist monk. I was scared out of my wits. I thought he had already died, and I was grieving for him for several days; who would have thought that he is still alive? Li Zicheng said that he wore Buddhist monk attire simply to deceive people’s ears and eyes, while it also give him the excuse of not shaving his head and wearing the Tatars’ attire. He told me that for the last several years he had been thinking about me daily; he had been living in Kunming for more than three years, and had always been looking for an opportunity to see me, until that day. Ay, could it be that his affection to me was a lot deeper than Wu Sangui’s?

    Every night he came to accompany me, until finally I got pregnant with this little baby girl. I could not see him anymore, I must return to the Mansion immediately. I told Wangye that I missed him very much, and I wanted him to accompany me. Wangye has never had heartfelt fondness toward his fujin anyway, he happily took me back. Afterwards the baby girl was born. I wonder if he ever had any suspicion.

    When the baby girl was a little over two years old, she suddenly disappeared in the middle of the night. Although I hate to part with her, I thought it was Li Zicheng who sent someone to kidnap her. She is his child, if he wanted her, then that’s good. He was alone, he must be distressingly lonely, if there was a child by his side, he would not feel so much alone and forsaken. Who would have thought … ay, who would have thought that that was not the case …”

    Suddenly a drop of liquid fell on the back of her hand; when she looked down, it was a drop of blood. She was shocked and quickly looked up to the two men who were still fighting. She saw there was blood all over Wu Sangui’s face, but he was still brandishing his lance in a hard fighting. The drop of blood naturally was splashed from his face.

    Outside the room, the officers and men were shouting and cheering loudly, some were hurling threats toward Li Zicheng and Jiu Nan, but nobody dared to join the fight for fear that they would hurt their Prince.

    Wu Sangui was panting continuously; there was fear in his eyes. Suddenly the tip of the lance changed direction and went straight toward Chen Yuanyuan’s chest.

    “Ah!” Chen Yuanyuan cried out in alarm. “He wants to kill me!” This thought flashed in her mind.

    ‘Dang!’ the lance was parried by Li Zicheng. It was as if Wu Sangui had gone mad; he thrust his lance repeatedly, each one was directed to Chen Yuanyuan. Li Zicheng bellowed in rage, while desperately blocking and parrying; he was no longer able to attack Wu Sangui.

    Wei Xiaobao was hiding behind his Shifu’s back, he was greatly astonished, “Why would the big traitor not attack the monk, but attacking his wife instead?” Bu he immediately understood, “Ah, right; he must be angry that his wife has sneakily met the monk, hence he wants to kill her to vent his anger.”

    But Jiu Nan had been able to see Wu Sangui’s real intention, “This evil man is extremely treacherous. He cannot beat Li Zicheng, hence he resorted to this evil scheme.”

    Sure enough, because Li Zicheng wanted to save Chen Yuanyuan, he was flustered and his mind was thrown into disorder, several gaps appeared in the movement of his staff. Wu Sangui’s lance changed direction again, ‘stab’, he suddenly hit Li Zicheng’s shoulder. Li Zicheng lost the strength of his right hand, his monk staff fell. Wu Sangui seized this opportunity to pounce, he pointed the lance toward the pit of Li Zicheng’s stomach. Laughing maliciously, he said, “Rebel, aren’t you going to kneel down and surrender?”

    “Yes, yes,” Li Zicheng replied. Slowly he bent his knees.

    Wei Xiaobao mused, “I always thought that Li Zicheng was such an amazing man, but actually he is greedy for life …” He had just had that thought, suddenly Li Zicheng rolled away to evade the tip of the lance, grabbed his monk staff from the floor, and swept it horizontally toward Wu Sangui’s calves. Li Zicheng then sprang up, the monk staff struck down on Wu Sangui’s shoulder, and in the third strike the staff shot down onto the top of Wu Sangui’s head.

    Wei Xiaobao did not know that when the circumstance was unfavorable, surrendering in order to take a breather and then seizing the opportunity to gain an upper hand, was exactly the tactic Li Zicheng was very good at in all his life. When he was leading the rebel troops in the past, on the seventh month of his seventh year Chong Zhen surrounded him and trapped him in the bottom of Juxiang Gorge at Xing’an county of Shaanxi Province, the imperial army laid a siege all around, there was no way out, the troops had no food, the horses had no straw; at a glance it looked like a total annihilation. Li Zicheng surrendered, and was taken into the imperial army. As soon as he was out of the plank road, he rose into rebellion again immediately. When he bent his knees to feign surrender to Wu Sangui just now, it was no more than executing his old trick once again.

    Jiu Nan thought, “These two men are equally ruthless and crafty, no wonder the Great Ming’s rivers and mountains were lost in these two men’s hands.”

    They all saw that if Li Zicheng’s third strike hit, Wu Sangui’s brains would burst out. Chen Yuanyuan suddenly jumped and threw herself on top of Wu Sangui’s body, “Kill me first!” she called out.

    Li Zicheng was shocked, the momentum of his staff strike was swift and fierce, his right shoulder was injured, he had no strength in his right hand to hold the staff. Immediately his left hand pushed to the right, ‘Bang!’ the iron monk staff struck the wall. “Yuanyuan,” he angrily shouted, “What are you doing?”

    “He and I were husband and wife for more than twenty years,” Chen Yuanyuan replied, “In those years he … he was sincerely treating me very well. I cannot let him die because of me.”

    “Get out of the way!” Li Zicheng shouted, “He and I have enmity as deep as the ocean. I must kill him.”

    “Then kill me too,” Chen Yuanyuan replied.

    Li Zicheng sighed. He said, “Turns out … turns out your heart is still leaning toward him.”

    Chen Yuanyuan did not answer, but in her heart she thought, “If he wants to kill you, I will also die with you.”

    From outside the room, the officers and soldiers saw Wu Sangui fell, they also cried out loudly while surging forward. A general shouted loudly, “Quickly release Wangye, or all of you will die.” It was precisely Wu Sangui’s son-in-law Xia Guoxiang. He continued shouting, “Your companions are all here, if you harm a strand of Wangye’s hair, their heads will fall to the ground immediately.”

    Wei Xiaobao looked outside, and saw Mu Jiansheng, Liu Dahong and the other Mu Palace people, and Xu Tianchuan, Gao Yanchao, Priest Xuanzhen and the other Tian Di Hui people, Zhao Qixian, Zhang Kangnian, and the other Imperial Bodyguards, Valiant Cavalry Can Ling [Regimental Commander] and Zuo Ling [Company Commander]; all of them with hands tied, each of them had a Ping Xi Wang military officer behind his back, with unsheathed saber placed on his neck.

    Wei Xiaobao thought, “Even if Shifu could take me out of Kunming, all these friends will inevitably die. We want to kill Wu Sangui, but there is no hurry to do it at this time.” Thereupon he pulled his dagger and put it on Wu Sangui’s back; he said, “Wangye, all of us die together, there is no sense in it; it would be better for us to do a business transaction.”

    “Humph,” Wu Sangui grunted, “What business transaction?”

    Wei Xiaobao said, “You promise to let everybody go, my Shifu will spare your life.”

    Li Zicheng said, “This traitor is a lowly person, repeat offender; what he says cannot be trusted.”

    Looking at the people with their hands bound outside, Jiu Nan also felt that she could not kill Wu Sangui today; she said, “You give an order to let everybody go, I will also let you go.”

    “What about Ah Ke?” Wei Xiaobao said in a loud voice, “That female assassin?”

    Xia Guoxiang shouted, “Bring the assassin here.”

    Two Mansion guards pushed a young woman, which was none other than Ah Ke. Her hands were also tied behind her back, and a glittering saber was also placed on her neck.

  2. #1962
    Senior Member tweety365's Avatar
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    Thanks for the weekend present, foxs! I'm always so amazed at your steady translation. Much appreciate all your hard work.

  3. #1963
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    Thank You Foxs

  4. #1964
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    Wow...foxs, you're really great...your translation's really fast. Thanks a lot. Love them.
    The senario climaxes, the principle actors are shown.....but I know it's not the end yet heh heh heh, otherwise I will thing is the end of the story.

    Great action, I pity yuan-yuan, really, "she's really torn between two lovers" - a great song btw by mary macgregor
    cheerio..

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    Default I slacked off work today :D

    Thanks for giving me a welcome distraction from my work foxs... lots of appreciation here :P
    Ali Derhamy

  6. #1966
    Senior Member smurf120's Avatar
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    Thanks Foxs! I think CYY loves both men in different ways - LCZ with a fiery passion and WSG with tenderness and gratitude.

    The man that loves her the most may be LCZ becuse WSG only looks out for himself but he also thinks he has loftier goals.

    I have always wondered how WXB avoids his identity being blown at this point when almost everybody he knows is gathered here.

  7. #1967
    Senior Member tweety365's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by smurf120 View Post
    I have always wondered how WXB avoids his identity being blown at this point when almost everybody he knows is gathered here.
    I think each different group assumes that he is working undercover. They don't know about all his identities. I'm just surprised they talk to each other.

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    Thanks Foxs!

    Aiya the wu sangui didn't die..thought the monk would have successfully killed him. Hmm but Chen Yuanyuan seems to be quite fickle-minded...

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    loving every post

  10. #1970
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    Quote Originally Posted by tweety365 View Post
    I think each different group assumes that he is working undercover. They don't know about all his identities. I'm just surprised they talk to each other.
    Jerry Lewis's movie comes into mind....he had 2 girls working in different shifts as his partner living with him and thought he had the best of the 2 world.....until, one of the girls was excused from work for a day and hell broke loose with him trying to coverup and trying to avoid each meeting the other.....

    Yep... sound possible, if you really consider his responsibilities, he's working under cover for all the orgs he's supposed to lead.....only thing is one against the other.....it's actually a wonder that one so young is able to live his 3 ..or is it 4 identities without blowing it.....

    err.....commenting from my newly issued notebook heh heh heh
    Last edited by crazee; 02-28-12 at 02:19 AM.
    cheerio..

  11. #1971
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    Quote Originally Posted by tweety365 View Post
    I think each different group assumes that he is working undercover. They don't know about all his identities. I'm just surprised they talk to each other.
    For some reason this made me think about Infernal Affairs especially with Tony Leung/Andy Lau at the helm (they are WXB/Kangxi respectively in the TVB 80's adaptation). All the groups involved must have remembered WXB playing the joke on Zheng Keshuang (Taiwanese guy). I'm surprised by the lack "hey dude, don't I know you from somewhere?".

  12. #1972
    Senior Member SkyWalker's Avatar
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    Thanks foxs.

    CYY is such a sad woman. These powerful men don't treat her like a human being. She's like a toy to them. Really pity her life.

  13. #1973
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    Default Chapter 32 - Part 7

    Tweety, while I still have time ... seriously, between you and me, I could use some busy-ness right now. Anh, Ali, you are most welcome. OwlHoot, with all that she had been through, I can't blame her. Sablemagi, thanks for dropping by. Crazee, congratulations on your new laptop! Now you can access spcnet anytime ... Smurf, I was wondering about that myself. Tian Di Hui people knew he was Chen Jinnan's disciple, yet he acknowledge Jiu Nan as his Shifu. Sky, you sneaked in when I was editing my post ...


    Chen Yuanyuan said, “Xiaobao, you … you are always thinking of saving my child’s life.”

    Wei Xiaobao said in his heart, “That’s strange, you did not ask your husband, did not ask your lover, but came to ask me. Could it be that Ah Ke was born for me and you?” But as soon as he saw Ah Ke’s lovely yet pitiful look, he had made up his mind, even if he did not want his own life, he simply must save her life; on top of that, he now saw Chen Yuanyuan’s lovely yet pitiful look as she beseeched him, he did not need to think twice.

    “The two of you,” he pointed to Li Zicheng, “If you give me your word to allow Ah Ke to be my wife, how could I not save my own wife’s life?”

    Jiu Nan glowered at him. “In time like this you still talk this kind of frivolous talk!” she shouted.

    Although Chen Yuanyuan knew Wei Xiaobao only for a short time, yet her knowledge of his temperament and intention had already far surpassed Jiu Nan’s; she knew that if this little smart-aleck did not take advantage of other people’s misfortune, to fish in troubled water, he would not be a high-ranking official in such a young age. Thereupon she said, “Fine, I give you my word.”

    Wei Xiaobao turned his head toward Li Zicheng and asked, “And you?”

    There was an angry look on Li Zicheng’s face, he was about to curse, but then he saw the earnest pleading expression on Chen Yuanyuan’s face, hence he struggled to suppress his anger. “Humph,” he snorted, “Whatever she said, let it be that way.”

    Wei Xiaobao giggled and turned toward Wu Sangui, “Wangye, you and I are ‘river water does not interfere with well water’, why not get the best of both worlds? You can be the Ping Xi Wang, let me be the Wei Jueye?”

    “Very well,” Wu Sangui said, “What did I do to make life difficult for Wei Jueye?”

    “Then issue an order to free all of my friends,” Wei Xiaobao said, “I will also ask my Shifu to release you. This is just like playing Pai Jiu [pai gow], in the front we have ten, at the back we have supreme, nobody loses nobody wins, nobody kills nobody pays. You are not thinking of making a big kill on the three directions, I will not shovel your bank. Not losing in gambling is better than everybody’s head falls down on the ground.”

    “So be it,” Wu Sangui replied, while slowly standing up.

    “Please ask Shizi to come here, and the Princess as well,” Wei Xiaobao said, “I will also have to toil Wangye to personally escort us out of the City of Kunming, and I ask that Shizi will accompany the Princess to go back to Beijing and bow to the heaven and the earth and get married there. Wangye, although we have had the agreement, I still cannot set my heart at ease, I need to have Shizi as my guarantee. If you suddenly change your mind and dispatch your troops to give us a chase, we will have no choice but to split Shizi with a saber. Wu Yingxiong, Wei Xiaobao, plus Princess Jianning, everybody will happily go together to see Yan Wang. Our journey to the underworld will be exciting and fun.”

    Wu Sangui thought that this kid was indeed very shrewd; he would not easily let me go based on my words alone. Since he was presently in a dangerous territory, the sooner he escaped the better; therefore, after making a prompt decision he said, “Fair enough, we will do as you said.” Raising his voice, he called out, “Xia Zongbing, quickly send someone to fetch the Princess and Shizi and bring them here.”

    Xia Guoxiang said, “I heard and obey. When Shizi heard the news, he promptly led the troops here.”

    “Good filial son,” Wei Xiaobao praised, “What a little darling meek, garlic chives sautéed in leek!”

    Not too long afterwards, Wu Yingxiong did indeed arrive leading his troops. His injury had not healed, he arrived outside the building, riding on a soft sedan chair carried by eight of his personal attendants.

    Wu Sangui said, “Shizi has arrived, everybody can go.” He also issued an order, “Untie our friends’ hands.” To Wei Xiaobao he said, “You and Shitai follow me closely, let me take you out. If laofu go back on my word, naturally you could stab me on my back. Shitai’s martial art skill is superior, even I cannot escape her Tathagata Buddha’s palm.”

    Wei Xiaobao laughed. “Wonderful,” he said, “Wangye is indeed frank and straightforward; when you lose, you lose, when you win, you win, you wanted to oppose the Ming, you opposed the Ming, you wanted to surrender to Qing, you surrender to Qing. Indeed there is not the least bit of wishy-washiness in you.”

    Wu Sangui’s face turned ashen. Pointing to Li Zicheng he said, “This rebel, I wonder if he is also Wei Jueye’s friend?”

    Wei Xiaobao cast a glance toward Jiu Nan. Before he could respond, Li Zicheng announced in a loud voice, “I am not this Tatars’ little dog official’s friend.”

    “Good,” Jiu Nan praised him, “You, this rebel, actually have hard bones! Wu Sangui, let him go with us.”

    Chen Yuanyuan looked at Jiu Nan, her eyes revealed her gratitude, but they also carried a pleading look. “Shitai …” she said. But Jiu Nan turned her head away, she was unwilling to meet her eyes.

    Wu Sangui was only concerned over his own survival, he did not care whether he could kill Li Zicheng or not. Walking toward the opening, he called out, “Shizi is going to escort the Princess back to the Capital to have an audience with His Holiness, to respectfully escort the holy self of Her Highness the Princess.”

    The sergeant under Ping Xi Wang’s command blew the bugle, the troops lined up in formation to send them off. Wei Xiaobao and Wu Sangui walked out of the room side-by-side, with Jiu Nan followed closely behind them.

    Wei Xiaobao walked toward the sedan chair and said, “Whether the goods is genuine or fake, one examination will confirm it.” He raised the sedan chair curtain and looked in. He saw Wu Yingxiong’s face was completely without color. Leaning inside, he said with a laugh, “Shizi, how are you?”

    Wu Yingxiong called out, “Father, you … are you all right?”

    Of course he was calling out to Wu Sangui, but Wei Xiaobao replied, “Very good, I am all right.”

    When they were outside the Three-Sage Nunnery, he looked around; east, south, west and north, everywhere was tightly packed with troops and horses, their number could not be counted. “Wangye,” Wei Xiaobao praised, “Your troops and horses are indeed not a few. If you are going to attack Beijing, I think you already have enough.”

    With a calm face Wu Sangui said, “Wei Jueye, when you see His Majesty, if you talk nonsense, I will certainly also present a memorial to the Emperor, reporting that you are colluding with the rebel thieves Mu Family of Yunnan and Li Zicheng.”

    Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, “Uh, that’s strange. Li Zicheng only loves to collude with the number one beauty in the world, how could he collude with me, the number one smart-aleck in the world?” Wu Sangui was furious; he clenched his fist and wanted to punch the bridge of Wei Xiaobao’s nose very much.

    Wangye must not be angry,” Wu Sangui said, “You, Senior, must calm down. Being an official for a thousand li is only for the sake of wealth. If I talk rubbish to His Majesty, whatever reward His Majesty bestows to me, it will fall short of what you, Senior, send as a gift year after year, what you spend in soldier’s pay and provision year after year. The two of us brothers are striking a business deal, when I return to Beijing, I will only praise you as a loyal and devoted minister, matchless under the heavens. I will do my best to protect Shizi, at New Year and other holidays, you will send a little bit of gold and silver as a gift to Xiao Jiang; what do you say?” While saying that, he walked alongside Wu Sangui.

    “Wealth is merely worldly possessions,” Wu Sangui said, “If Wei Jueye really want to use some, I can’t see any reason why you cannot. However, if you really want to make things difficult for me, although laofu lives in Yunnan, with a massive military force at hand, I am not afraid of you.”

    “Naturally,” Wei Xiaobao said, “With a lance at hand, Wangye’s bravery is unstoppable, you killed the rebellious thieves around the world that they piss in their pants in terror. Xiao Jiang is taking my leave today, the spending money Wangye promised earlier, please bestow it now.”

    Listening to him chattering and unceasingly asking for bribe, Jiu Nan was getting more and more annoyed. “Xiaobao,” she shouted, “How could you talk so shamelessly like that?”

    Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, “Shifu, you did not know, but the number of people under me is quite a lot. When I return to the Capital, the civil and military officials of the imperial court, the imperial concubines and court eunuchs in the Palace, all of them must be given a present. If the gift is unsatisfactory, everybody may put the blame on Wangye.”

    “Humph,” Jiu Nan snorted, but she no longer say anything.

    Actually, the reason as the guest Wei Xiaobao demanded bribe, his main reason was to escape with their lives. He repeatedly talked about bribe with Wu Sangui, his intention was to occupy Wu Sangui’s mind, so that he would not change his mind or have the thought of killing them; besides, after giving the bribe, he could not possibly make things difficult for Wei Xiaobao. It was a standard practice of officialdom. By saying all those things, Wei Xiaobao was trying to make Wu Sangui feel relieved. Naturally Jiu Nan did not understand this reasoning.

    As expected, Wu Sangui was really thinking, “He wants the money, this matter is easier to manage.” Turning toward Xia Guoxiang, he said, “Xia Zongbing, quickly get 500,000 taels of silver for Wei Jueye to give to the officers and men of the Imperial Bodyguards; also, prepare a generous gift for Wei Jueye, so that when he return to the Capital, he can distribute it for our behalf.” Xia Guoxiang complied, and turned toward his trusted aide to prepare everything.

    Wu Sangui and Wei Xiaobao mounted their horses and rode side-by-side. Jiu Nan also mounted a horse and followed closely behind them. Knowing that this nun’s martial art skill had reached perfection, Wu Sangui abandoned all hopes of running away from her; he also thought, “Things ended this way, it is actually very satisfactory. Otherwise, even if I could kill this nun and this little smart aleck, kill Li Zicheng and all those rebellious thieves, injuring an Imperial Envoy carried a maximum penalty; I would be forced to deploy my troops immediately. This moment the help from the outside has not been properly decided; acting with confusion will only result in endangering this matter. Humph, when Beijing is broken later, will I have to be afraid that this little smart aleck would fly to the sky?” Therefore, he did not want to go back on the deal right away; along with Jiu Nan and Wei Xiaobao he went to Anfu Garden to fetch the Princess, and then escorted them out of the City of Kunming.

    Although the soldiers had their suspicion, seeing their Prince came out unscathed, they did not have any choice but to obey the orders and did nothing else.

    Wei Xiaobao inspected the troops and horses under his command, undoubtedly Ah Ke stayed by his side, the others included Tian Di Hui and Mu Palace people, as well as Imperial Bodyguards, officers and men, nobody was lacking. He turned toward Wu Sangui and said with a laugh, “Wangye sends us off a long way out of town, you are extremely courteous. This time we received Wangye’s generous treatment, next time Wangye come to Beijing, let Xiao Jiang invite you.”

    Wu Sangui laughed aloud and said, “I will definitely disturb Wei Jueye.”

    The two men cupped their fists farewell. Wu Sangui walked toward the Princess’ sedan chair to pay his respect and bid her farewell, and then he stuck his head in Wu Yingxiong’s sedan chair and whispered something for a while, before leading his troops back to the city.

    Although Wu Sangui’s troops did not show any sign that they intend to attack, Wei Xiaobao did not feel at ease; he said, “This fellow’s words cannot be trusted, let us leave quickly, the farther we are from Kunming the better.” Thereupon the group left immediately.

    After traveling for more than ten li and did not see any troop chasing them, they stopped for a while to take a rest.

    “Princess,” Li Zicheng said to Jiu Nan, “I have received your kindness in saving me so that I did not die under the big traitor’s men’s hands, I really am deeply grateful. Now please make your move.” While saying that, he took the saber he was wearing, reversed the hilt, and handed it over to her.

    “Hey,” Jiu Nan mumbled, with an awkward expression on her face; she thought, “He is the big enemy who killed my father, how can I not avenge this enmity? But he has his hands tied waiting for the butcher, I can’t kill him just like that.” Turning her head toward Ah Ke, she cast her a glance, and muttered, “Turns out she … she is your daughter …”

    “He is not my father,” Ah Ke said loudly.

    “Nonsense,” Jiu Nan angrily said, “Your Mama admitted it herself, how can it be wrong?”

    “Naturally he is your father,” Wei Xiaobao busily said, “He and your Mama have betrothed you to me to be my wife; this is called ‘a father and mother’s order …’”

    Ah Ke’s heart was filled with resentment and indignation, yet she could not vent it out anywhere; suddenly she sprang up and punched Wei Xiaobao’s face. He was caught off-guard, the punch hit the bridge of his nose; immediately blood flowed in abundance.

    “Aiyo,” Wei Xiaobao cried out, “You are murdering your own husband.”

    Jiu Nan angrily said, “The two of you stop speaking unreasonable words! Stop making a mess!”

    Ah Ke retreated several steps back, her small face was completely red; she pointed her finger to Li Zicheng and angrily said, “You are not my father! That woman is not my mother.” Pointing Jiu Nan she said, “You … you are not my Shifu. You … you are all bad people, you bullied me. I … I hate you …” She covered her face and cried loudly.

  14. #1974
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    Default made me :D

    this was really cool

    thanks heaps foxs
    Ali Derhamy

  15. #1975
    Senior Member crazee's Avatar
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    Thanks Foxs,

    Inspite of my dislike for Ah Ke, I can't help but emphatise with her.
    Her whole life is sort of wasted because of the earlier generation and she's being used.

    Really I am impressed with XB's thinking. He's really cunning and tries hard to calm the tiger at the same time gaining more benefits....
    cheerio..

  16. #1976
    Senior Member Ace High's Avatar
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    WXB took a really risky yet calculated gamble.
    You plant a garden and the flowers do not bloom, you poke a stick in the mud and it grows into a tree

  17. #1977
    Senior Member SkyWalker's Avatar
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    Thanks foxs.

    Does anyone know if SPCNET is accessible in China?

  18. #1978
    Senior Member smurf120's Avatar
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    I think most impressive is that WXB did not allow his pride to get in the way of any negotiations, quick thinking and resolution when completely surrounded by enemies, and still bargained for the upper hand. WXB was born for politics.

    CYY really does know how to deal with high powered men - even though she was pressured - she knew exactly what the right answer was without hesitation.

    Lesser (rather person of more) character may be worried about Jiu Nan looking down on him for asking a bribe. He did not abandon any of his charges all the way from the Princess to the Imperial Guards and servants.

    So, in WXB perspective of thinking (still pretty twisted from modern POV), Ah Ke has "agreed" to be him (after a bet), "bowed" to heaven and earth (albeit unwillingly), and received marriage "blessings" from both per birth parents. This is about as legally legitimate marriage you can get in JY universe. [shrug]

    See thread in wuxia fiction about legality of marriages.

    http://www.spcnet.tv/forums/showthre...-Ancient-China

  19. #1979
    Senior Member whiteskwirl's Avatar
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    Thanks for your diligence in translating this foxs!

  20. #1980
    Senior Member foxs's Avatar
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    Default Chapter 32 - Part 8

    Ali, you are welcome. Crazee, Ace, Smurf, I agree, he was born a politician. Sky, I think Athlon resides in Beijing. Whiteskwirl, you are welcome, thanks for your effort in the other site.

    Short update today, the end of Chapter 32.



    Jiu Nan sighed. “You are right,” she said, “I am not your Shifu, I snatched you away from Wu Sangui, not with good intention. You … you can go on your own. But your birth parents, you cannot not acknowledging them.”

    Ah Ke stomped her foot and said, “I don’t want to acknowledge them, I don’t want to acknowledge them. I don’t have any father, I don’t have any mother, and I don’t have any Shifu.”

    Wei Xiaobao said, “But you have me, your husband!”

    Ah Ke’s anger shot to the roof, she picked up a stone and hurled it to him. Wei Xiaobao dodged sideways. Ah Ke turned around and ran along a small path toward the west.

    “Hey, hey,” Wei Xiaobao called out, “Where are you going?”

    Ah Ke halted her steps, turned around and hatefully said, “There will come a day that you will die in my hands.”

    Wei Xiaobao did not dare to pursue anymore; he looked on helplessly as she ran away. Gloomy mood filled Jiu Nan’s heart, she waved her hand toward Li Zicheng without saying anything and rode off.

    “Yuefu [father-in-law] Daren,” Wei Xiaobao said, “My Shifu won’t kill you, you’d better go quickly.”

    In his heart Li Zicheng also felt inexplicably unhappy; he turned toward Wei Xiaobao and glowered at him. Being stared at like that, the hair on Wei Xiaobao’s body stood up; he was scared and withdrew two steps back. “Pei,” Li Zicheng spat on the ground, turned around and strode toward the small path.

    Wei Xiaobao shook his head, thinking, “Even her own father and mother Ah Ke does not want to acknowledge, naturally she won’t acknowledge me, her husband, even more.” When he turned around, he saw Xu Tianchuan and Gao Yanchao standing behind him with weapons in their hands. The two men were afraid Li Zicheng would suddenly assault and harm their Wei Xiangzhu.

    “This man turned the sky and the earth upside down in the past, and ruined out Great Ming’s rivers and mountains,” Xu Tianchuan said, “Until he is old he still carries the lofty quality of a hero like that.”

    Wei Xiaobao stuck out his tongue. “He is very fierce,” he said; and then he asked, “Did you bring that Hantiemo?”

    “He is a very important character,” Xu Tianchuan replied, “We did not dare to leave him.”

    “Very good,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Gentlemen must be very careful in taking care of him, don’t let him escape along the way.”

    The party continued their journey northward. Wei Xiaobao went over to Mu Jiansheng, Liu Dahong and the others to exchange some pleasantries. In their hearts Mu Jiansheng and the others were also very unhappy; they all thought, “All our lives were saved by him, from this day onward, how can our Mu Palace strive for superiority against their Tian Di Hui?”

    “Wei Xiangzhu,” Liu Dahong said, “About toppling Wu Sangui or what have you, we cannot compete against Tian Di Hui anymore. Please report to Chen Zongduozhu on our behalf, tell him that henceforth the Mu Palace concede defeat to Tian Di Hui. Wei Xiangzhu’s kindness in saving our lives, I am afraid in our whole life we will never be able to repay.”

    “How could Liu Laoyezi [old master] say such thing?” Wei Xiaobao said, “All of us were in mortal danger and we escaped alive; we all managed to snatch our lives back.”

    “That little thief Liu Yizhou,” Liu Dahong hatefully said, “There will come a day when I will make mincemeat of him.”

    “Was it him who disclose your secret?” Wei Xiaobao asked.

    “If not him then who else?” Liu Dahong replied, “This kid … this kid …” Speaking to this point, his anger shot up to the heavens.

    Wei Xiaobao said, “Did he remain at Wu Sangui’s place?”

    “Most probably,” Mu Jiansheng said, “That day Liu Shifu sent him out to scout the enemy; he was captured by Wu Sangui’s men. That very same night, a large number of troops and horses surrounded our residence. The place we stayed was extremely secret, if that man did not tell, there is no way Wu Sangui would ever find us.” Speaking to that point, he heaved a deep sigh before continuing, “It’s a pity that Ao Dage has sacrificed his life for his country.” Cupping his fist toward Wei Xiaobao, he said, “Wei Xiangzhu, if Tian Di Hui has anything in the future, the one surnamed Mu will obey the order. The green mountain will not change, the crystal-clear water will always flow, let us part here.”

    “This place is still the big traitor’s territory,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Let us be together, there is strength in number. When we leave Yunnan, we will go our separate ways.”

    Mu Jiansheng shook his head and said, “Thank you for Wei Xiangzhu’s good intention, if we ever fall head first into the big traitor’s hands again, we will not have any face to live among the people.” Thinking, “Mu Palace is at home in Yunnan, if we still rely on Tatar officers and soldiers for protection, what else can we say?” Therefore, leading the Mu Palace people, he bade his farewell and left.

    Mu Jianping walked at the very last of the line; after only a few steps, she turned around and said, “I am leaving, you … you take care of yourself.”

    “Yes,” Wei Xiaobao said, “You must do the same.” Lowering his voice, he said, “You stay with your Gege, don’t come back to Shen Long [Divine Dragon] Island. I will think about you every day.”

    Mu Jianping nodded; she said in small voice, “I will too …”

    Wei Xiaobao pulled the horse he was riding and turned the reins over to her hand, saying, “I give this horse to you.”

    Mu Jianping’s eyes turned red; receiving the reins, she straddled the horseback and rode away to catch up with Mu Jiansheng and the others.

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