The Deer and The Cauldron - Unabridged Thread

[foxs]

Li Xihua stood up and respectfully said, "If Chen Zongduozhu can kill that traitor Wu, the old Li will accept Tian Di Hui's orders, I will not dare to disobey. If by luck the old Li can put to death with my own hand this devilish wicked traitor, I only wish for Chen Zongduozhu to do me the honor to become the old Li's sworn brother, let Zaixia reveres you as the elder brother. Apart from this, I do not dare to request anything else."

Chen Jinnan laughed and said, "Li Xiandi [worthy younger brother], you esteem me too much. Very well, a real man gave his words, a team of four horses cannot chase it."

Watching from the side, Wei Xiaobao saw the heroes' fervent expression, he could not help but feeling very excited[1]; he really wished he could grow up right then and there, his martial art skill would reach high level immediately, just like this Li Xihua, who created quite a stir in front of all these heroes. Hearing Shifu said 'a real man gave his words, a team of four horses cannot chase it', he could not refrain from muttering to himself, "A team of four horses cannot chase it, a team of four horses cannot chase it." While thinking, "Damn it, what kind of horses are a team of four horses anyway? How can they run that fast?"

Chen Jinnan instructed his subordinates to prepare a banquet table to have a feast with these outstanding heroes. During the banquet, Li Xihua talked and laughed cheerfully, his knowledge was indeed extensive, but all along he never revealed his martial art school, family background, or his origin.

Li Lishi and Su Gang introduced the rest of their groups to Li Xihua. Seeing Wei Xiaobao was young, yet held the position of the Green Wood Hall's Xiangzhu, Li Xihua could not hide his astonishment; when he was told that Wei Xiaobao was Chen Jinnan's disciple, he thought, "So that's how it is." He drank several cups of wine, and then took his leave.

Chen Jinnan walked him to the door, and in a low voice said, "Li Xiandi, just now your humble brother did not know whether you were a friend or a foe, I have offended you. When I grabbed your ankle, I have surreptitiously used special power. It will flare-up after four hours. You must not use the slightest bit of internal energy to defuse it. You must dig a hole in a muddy ground, and bury your entire body in it, revealing only your mouth and nose to breathe. Every day you must be buried for eight hours, for seven days in a row, then there won't be any future trouble."

Li Xihua was shocked. "I was hit by your 'Blood Clotting Divine Claw'?" he said in loud voice.

"Xiandi must not be alarmed," Chen Jinnan said, "By treating it according to the prescribed method, there should not be any major problem. Your humble brother was reckless and has offended you, I am asking Xiandi not to blame me."

Immediately the panic-stricken expression on Li Xihua's face subsided. He laughed and said, "Indeed Xiaodi [little brother] suffers the consequence of my own action." He sighed, and then said, "Only today I know there is heaven outside the heaven, there is an expert above the expert." He bowed to salute, and then floated away.

"Chen Zongduozhu," Liu Dahong said, "Did you use the 'Blood Clotting Divine Claw' on him? I heard that people who got hit by this divine claw will have the blood in his entire body slowly clotting after three days, turning into paste just like starch paste; there is no medicine to cure it. Is that so?"

Chen Jinnan said, "This skill is extremely sinister and ruthless, usually Xiaodi does not dare to recklessly use it, but seeing his formidable martial art skill, plus he was eavesdropping on our secret, I was unclear whether he harbors any evil intention, so I took this drastic action. It's not a straightforward and upright thing to do, I am ashamed just to mention it."

Mu Jiansheng said, "If this man is Tatars' falcon or dog, or perhaps Wu Sangui's troop, and Chen Zongduozhu did not control him, our secret may be leaked out, then the disaster won't be small. Chen Zongduozhu is able to control the enemy in one move, damaging the other side without him knowing it. This kind of divine skill deserves the admiration of other people."

Chen Jinnan reiterated his deep apology on the death of Bai Hansong to Bai Hanfeng. "Chen Zongduozhu," Bai Hanfeng said, "Let this matter rests and do not raise it again. My late brother has died, he can't come back to life. Wei Xiangzhu has rescued Wu Shishu and the others, three people, Zaixia is very grateful."

Mu Jiansheng was concerned over his missing little sister's whereabouts, but since Tian Di Hui warriors did not say anything, he felt it was inappropriate for him to inquire, so as not to appear that he doubted the opposite party's intention. After drinking several more rounds of wine, Mu Jiansheng and the others stood up to take their leave.

"Xiao Gongye," Wei Xiaobao said, "It would be best if you move from your lodging, sooner or later the Tatars will dispatch troops to harass you. Although you are not afraid of them, the Tatars might send more and more troops. I am afraid you cannot kill them all."

Liu Dahong laughed aloud and said, "Xiao Xiongdi is right, thank you very much for your reminder, we will move immediately."

Mu Jiansheng said, "Chen Zongduozhu, Wei Xiangzhu, friends, the green hills will not change, the clear water will always flow, I'm sure we will meet again someday."

After the Mu Palace people left, Chen Jinnan said, "Xiaobao, come with me. I want to see the progress of your martial art training these past several months."

Wei Xiaobao's heart was thumping madly, his countenance changed immediately. "Yes, yes," he replied, and followed his Shifu into a room in the east wing. "Shifu," he said, "The Emperor sends me to investigate the assassins' whereabouts, disciple may have to hurry back and report."

"What assassins' whereabouts?" Chen Jinnan asked. He had just arrived the previous night, so he only heard bits and pieces about the assassins in the Palace. Thereupon Wei Xiaobao told him how the Mu Palace warriors entered the Palace to assassinate the emperor, with the intention of shifting the blame onto Wu Sangui.

Chen Jinnan let out a breath, "Is there such thing?" he said. Although he had gone through many storms, he was rather shocked to learn about this matter, he said, "Those friends from Mu Family are courageous and forthright, unexpectedly they carried out a large-scale operation into the Palace. I only knew that three of their people went to assassinate the Emperor, and thus were captured; turns out it was to deal with that traitor Wu Sangui. You have rescued Wu Lishen, three people, and now you want to return to the Palace, aren't you afraid of the danger?"

Wei Xiaobao wanted to flaunt his heroism, naturally he did not say that he released the assassins under the Emperor's order, so there was absolutely no danger in him returning to the Palace. He bragged, "Disciple has dragged several scapegoats, I shifted the blame on them. Looks like for the time being the suspicion will not fall onto your disciple. Shifu told me to spy for news in the Palace, if for the sake of saving three of Mu Palace's people disciple henceforth cannot return to the Palace, wouldn't I have harmed Shifu's important mission?"

Chen Jinnan was very happy. "That's right," he said, "We have struck palms three time with Mu Jiansheng to seal our oath. It is reasonable to say that Mu Palace does not have too many people left, so they can’t possibly match Tian Di Hui. I made that agreement with them, first, to avoid the argument about the legitimacy of King Tang versus King Gui, and thus harming the friendship between two families. The Tatars have not been wiped out yet, if we, Han people, massacre each other first, how can we accomplish the great undertaking? Second, if we can get the Mu Palace under our Society, it will enormously increase our Tian Di Hui’s power. The fact that they dared to enter the Palace and create havoc shows that in order to topple that traitor Wu, they would stop at nothing. We also must spare no effort to accomplish this goal, otherwise, if they gain the initiative, Tian Di Hui must accept Mu Palace’s orders, won’t everybody be ashamed then?”

"That's right," Wei Xiaobao said, "Mu Xiao Gongye does not have any real skill, he only relies on his good Papa. If I re-enter the womb of his mother, I could be born as the Xiao Gongye. For such a great hero like Shifu to be forced to take orders from him, if it were me, I would be angry too."

In all his life Chen Jinnan had heard countless flattering words, but since this time it came from a teenage kid, it sounded so sincere and encouraging; he could not help but showing a faint smile. He did not know that Wei Xiaobao's natural disposition was quick-witted and clever, plus he had lived in both a brothel and the Palace, two most hypocritical and devious places in the world. By living in these places, Wei Xiaobao had early on acquired craftiness, which was far above ordinary grownups. Chen Jinnan was used to dealing daily with heroes and warriors of Tian Di Hui, who treated one another with absolute sincerity, how could he know that this little disciple say something without meaning it? That in ten sentences, perhaps there were five or six sentences that can't be trusted? He patted Wei Xiaobao's shoulder and said with a smile, "What does a child like you understand? How do you know Mu Xiao Gongye does not have real skill?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "By sending assassins to the Palace, he has delivered many of his subordinates' lives for nothing, without really doing any damage to Wu Sangui. Not only he does not have any real skill, I can say that he is a big idiot."

"How do you know he is not doing any damage to Wu Sangui?" Chen Jinnan asked.

Wei Xiaobao said, "This Mu Family's Xiao Gongye used a very stupid strategy. He had the assassins who entered the Palace to wear undergarments with 'Ping Xi Wang Mansion' written on it, and use weapons with 'Ping Xi Wang Mansion' or something like ‘Regional Commander Office of Shanhai Pass of The Great Ming’ carved on it. The Tatars are not stupid, naturally they can think, if they were really Wu Sangui's men, why would they want to use such weapons?"

Chen Jinnan nodded, "You are right," he said.

Wei Xiaobao continued, "Wu Sangui's son Wu Yingxiong is in Beijing right now, carrying a large quantity of jewels and precious objects as a tribute to the Emperor. If Wu Sangui really wanted to assassinate the Emperor, he would not pick this time. Besides, why would he want to assassinate the Emperor? Unless he wants to dispatch troops to revolt and set himself up as the Emperor. But as soon as he dispatch his troops, the Tatars will immediately kill his son; why would he send his son to Beijing to die?"

Chen Jinnan nodded again. "That's right," he said.

Actually, although Wei Xiaobao was very astute, his age was still too young, his knowledge of military and government affairs, as well as the ways of the world, was very limited, he could not possibly come out with even half of the logic he had just presented. Luckily Kangxi had told him everything, which, in front of his Shifu, he pretended to see those logic himself.

When listening to him, Chen Jinnan thought that this disciple could see things clearly. Tian Di Hui did not lack martial art masters, but people with such clear brain were not many. Initially he let this little child to be the Green Wood Hall's Xiangzhu just to avoid the friction between the two rivaling factions, he needed to comply with everybody's oath first, and then slowly seeking a talented person to replace him. Since Wei Xiaobao was his own disciple, he could always ask him to abdicate his position honorably. By now, as he listened to him, he mused, "This child has both courage and insight, even now he is quite amazing, after several more years of discipline, he could be a real Green Wood Hall's Xiangzhu, which is not necessarily inferior to the other nine Xiangzhu." He asked, "Did the Tatars know it?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "Presently they are not very clear yet, but the Emperor seems to have suspicion already. This morning he summoned several Imperial Bodyguards and ordered them to demonstrate the martial art the assassins had used. Some Imperial Bodyguards performed the moves, and then everybody discussed it. Disciple was watching on the side, I remembered two moves." And thus he immediately demonstrated the ‘sweeping away a thousand army’, and 'high mountain flowing water', two moves.

Chen Jinnan sighed and said, "Mu Palace really does not have talented people anymore. These moves are obviously Mu Family Fist technique; there are not a few martial art experts among the Imperial Bodyguards in the Palace, how could they not recognize the moves?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "Disciple has seen Feng Jizhong, Feng Dage and Priest Xuanzhen demonstrated these moves, I expect the Tatar Imperial Bodyguards would also recognize them. I was afraid the Tatars would search and arrest people, therefore, just now I urged the Mu Family's Xiao Gongye to move out of town to avoid the trouble."

"Very true, very true!" Chen Jinnan said, "You'd better go back to the Palace to report, come again tomorrow, I will teach you martial art some more."

Hearing his Shifu was not going to check his martial art right away, Wei Xiaobao was greatly delighted; hastily he saluted and took his leave, thinking, "Tonight I need to clasp the Buddha's feet[2]; I will ask Xiao Junzhu to read Shifu's martial art manual to me, good or bad I will remember some, and then when Shifu ask tomorrow, whatever little things I know I can recite. Shifu can only blame me of not training correctly, but he can't blame me for being lazy and not want to work hard. Who told him not to have time to teach me? If he wants to blame somebody, he can only blame himself."

Wei Xiaobao returned to the Palace and went straight to the Upper Study Room. Kangxi was reviewing some memorial to the throne; as soon as he saw him, he laid down his pen and asked, "Have you found any information?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "Your Majesty predicts with supernatural accuracy, you were not wrong at all, the rebel mastermind is indeed the Mu Family of Yunnan."

"Is that so?" Kangxi happily asked, "That's wonderful. Looking at Dolong's expression, he still does not believe it. What did you find?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "Those three captured assassins stuck to what they initially say, that they were Wu Sangui subordinates, Dolong Zongguan beat them until they were hovering between life and death, but no matter what, they were unwilling to change their statement."

"Dolong's martial art skill is not bad," Kangxi said, "But he is a boorish fellow."

Wei Xiaobao said, "Under Your Majesty's imperial edict, your servant has used knockout drug to drug the Imperial Bodyguards, just when the Empress Dowager was sending four eunuchs over, saying that the assassins must be executed immediately. Your servant gathered my courage and acted according to the strategy Your Majesty planned, I killed the four eunuchs in front of the assassins and led the assassins out of the Palace. Those three rebellious thieves did not suspect anything at all."

Kangxi smiled and said, "A moment ago Dolong came to report that an eunuch leader under the Empress Dowager has set the assassins free; I was feeling strange, turns out it was your trick."

Wei Xiaobao said, "Your Majesty must not tell the Empress Dowager, otherwise your servant's lowly life will be difficult to protect. The Empress Dowager has scolded me for showing utter loyalty to His Majesty, but not utterly loyal toward the Empress Dowager. Actually, what's the difference between Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager? Besides, the sky cannot have two suns, the people cannot have two rulers; in the end, only Your Majesty's imperial decree counts. Without asking Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has ordered the assassins to be executed; what kind of logic was that?"

Kangxi did not bother that Wei Xiaobao was trying to drive a wedge between him and the Empress Dowager, "I won't say anything to the Empress Dowager," he said, "About those three assassins, what happened next?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "I took them out of the Palace, without my asking they told me their real name and surname. Turns out the old man is called the 'Shaking Head Lion' Wu Lishen, the two younger ones, one is Ao Biao, the other Liu Yizhou. They thanked me profusely, but in the end your servant managed to swindle them, they took me to their leader. Sure enough, it is as Your Majesty expected, the mastermind behind all these is a young man, whom the rebellious thieves call Xiao Gongye, his real name and surname is Mu Jiansheng, he is Mu Tianbo's son. Under his command there is an old man whose martial art skill was very high, he is called something like 'Iron Back Dragon' Liu Dahong. And then there are also 'Divine Physician Hermit' Su Gang, the second hero of the Bai Family Two Heroes, Bai Hanfeng, and so on. They are staying separately at Willow Tree Lane and South Bean Sprout Lane, two places."

"Did you see both places?" Kangxi asked.

"I did," Wei Xiaobao replied, "They said that common people all over the world all say that although the Emperor is young, he is a matchless enlightened sage, a good emperor that is hard to come by in several thousand years. They said that even if they had guts as big as the sky, they would not have dared to harm the Emperor. Therefore, the night before last
they entered the Palace to deliberately create trouble, it was completely to frame Wu Sangui, to avenge their big hatred because he killed Mu Tianbo."

---

[1] Orig. 'hundreds of arteries and veins open up brightly'.

[2] Idiom 'to clasp the Buddha's feet without ever having to burn incense', meaning 'to profess devotion only when in trouble'.

[foxs]

Unavoidably some of these words of flattery hit its target. Kangxi had not personally taken over the government for too long, the common people of the world could not possibly sing praises over his meritorious deed or virtue, but as the saying goes, ‘anything gets through me except flattery[1]’. Hearing the common people praise him as ‘a good emperor that is hard to come by in several thousand years’, he could not help but feeling very pleased. He smiled and said, “I haven’t produced any benevolent policy to the benefit of the people yet, ‘matchless enlightened sage’ and so on is your own fabrication, isn’t it?”

“No, no!” Wei Xiaobao said, “It came straight from their own mouths. Everybody says that that big treacherous official Oboi cruelly harmed common people, they all hated him to the bones. When Your Majesty decided to put him to his death, it was a very, very good decision. They speak highly of you as some raw bird [niao sheng] or some fish soup [yu tang]. Your servant did not understand, I assumed it was words of praise, so I was very happy to hear it.”

Kangxi was taken aback, but then he understood immediately and broke into loud laughter. “It’s ‘Yao Shun Yu Tang’,” he said, “Damn it, what do you mean ‘niao sheng yu tang’?” He thought that Wei Xiaobao could not possibly come up with ‘Yao Shun Yu Tang’, therefore, the compliment must be real. He did not know that when telling the story of ‘Heroic Deed Commentaries’, the storyteller mentioned that the crowd continuously praised Zhu Yuanzhang[2] as ‘Yao Shun Yu Tang’. Wei Xiaobao heard the story often. Although he did not understand the meaning of it, he knew that ‘Yao Shun Yu Tang’ was words of praise to flatter the emperor; it was said that each time Zhu Yuanzhang heard it, his ‘dragon countenance looked very pleased’.

This time Wei Xiaobao used the same flattery toward the young Emperor, and sure enough, Kangxi’s his ‘dragon countenance looked very pleased’, his laughter was very joyous and free, so he knew the bootlicking was right on target. “Your Majesty.” he asked, “What exactly is ‘niao sheng yu tang’?”

Kangxi laughed and said, “You still say raw bird and fish soup? This kid really does not have the least bit of literary knowledge. Yao Shun Yu Tang[3] were four learned and virtuous wise monarch of the ancient times, great sages with great knowledge, due to their benevolent integrity, they are recognized as good Emperors of the land under the heavens.”

“No wonder, no wonder!” Wei Xiaobao said, “Those rebellious thieves are not completely ignorant of reasons.”

“Even so,” Kangxi said, “We must not let them escape. Quickly summon Dolong over.”

Wei Xiaobao complied; he went out to summon the Imperial Bodyguard Chief Dolong into the Upper Study Room. Kangxi instructed Dolong, “The rebellious thieves are really Mu Family’s people from Yunnan. Take the Imperial Bodyguards and arrest them immediately. Xiao Guizi, why don’t you tell Dolong the background of those rebellious thieves’ group?”

Wei Xiaobao immediately told Dolong the names of Mu Jiansheng, Liu Dahong, and the others. Dolong was startled; he said, “Turns out it is the ‘Iron Back Blue Dragon’ who manage this operation in secret, these bunch of thieves’ background is indeed not small. That ‘Shaking-Head Lion’ Wu Lishen, your servant has also heard his name; I did not expect him to be locked up in the Palace for a day and a night, yet I could not obtain any real information from him. If your servant is a little bit smarter, seeing him always shaking his head, I should have guessed it early on. If not for the Sage’s wise judgment, we in the Imperial Bodyguard building would still think that those people were sent by Wu Sangui.”

Showing a faint smile, Kangxi said, “I am afraid they have already gone by now, this time you may not necessarily able to arrest them.” After a short pause, he continued, “Since we already know the mastermind, it’s not a big deal even if this time we can’t arrest them. I am just afraid that we will be kept in the dark[4]; we still don’t know that we have fallen into other people’s trick.”

“Yes, yes,” Dolong said, “Your servants are muddle-headed, fortunately our Master is wise, otherwise it would be disastrous.” He kowtowed and took his leave, immediately selected some of his men to arrest the rebels.

“Xiao Guizi,” Kangxi said, “I am going to the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful to pay my respect, come with me.”

“Yes!” Wei Xiaobao complied; but thinking that he was going to see the Empress Dowager, he could help but trembling with fear and appeared apprehensive.

Kangxi said, “Why are you frowning and look distressed? I am taking you to see Empress Dowager is exactly to preserve your head.”

“Yes, yes!” Wei Xiaobao replied.

Arrived at the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, Kangxi paid his respect to the Empress Dowager, reporting clearly the assassins’ background, telling her that it was he, personally, who ordered Xiao Guizi to release the assassins and finally ascertained the actual facts.

The Empress Dowager smiled and said, “Xiao Guizi, you can work very well!”

Wei Xiaobao kneeled down and kowtowed, “It was due to His Majesty’s ability to prophecy with supernatural accuracy, everything has been calculated beforehand,” he said, “Your servant was only bidding His Majesty’s order, nothing more than that. Although it was your servant who did the legwork, from head to tail I was just following His Majesty’s order, your servant did not have the least bit of idea of his own.”

The Empress Dowager cast a glance at him, snorted, and then said, “You are naughty, and it was not His Majesty who orders you to fool around! A little kid who left home to enter the Palace must want to play everywhere. Have you been to the Heavenly Bridge to see some acrobats? Have you bought some candied fruits?”

Wei Xiaobao recalled seeing government officials arresting candied fruits peddlers, he guessed they must be sent by the Empress Dowager; she was afraid the man would transmit the information to Rui Dong on Wutai Mountain, therefore, without distinguishing red-blue or black-white, she had all candied fruits peddlers around the Heavenly Bridge arrested. Wei Xiaobao was sure that without distinguishing red-blue or black-white, they would all be beheaded. Thinking about her ruthlessness, he could not help but shiver. “Yes, yes!” he said.

The Empress Dowager smiled and said, “I am asking you, have you bought some candied fruits lately?”

“Reporting to the Empress Dowager,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “Your servant heard people on the street say that the Heavenly Bridge is not really safe these days, the Nine-Gate provincial governor office has arrested the candied fruits peddlers, saying that there are many bad men among them. Therefore, those who originally sell candied fruits now change their professions; some sell cool cakes, some sell peanuts, some change their professions to sell sour dates, sell sweet cookies. Your servant has often seen many of these people, I am somewhat familiar with their faces, they say they are not going to sell candied fruits anymore. One of them was really funny, he said he was going to go to some Wutai or Liutai[5] Mountain to sell some plain steamed buns to the monks.”

The Empress Dowager raised her eyebrows in anger; naturally she understood that by saying that, Wei Xiaobao was telling her that the man who was supposed to transmit information had not been arrested, and that she could forget about arresting him later. With a cold smile she said, “Very good, you are very good, you are really competent. Emperor, I want to have him by my side, doing things for me. What do you think?”

These days Kangxi always sent Wei Xiaobao to do errands for him, and Wei Xiaobao was very efficient, so Kangxi started to rely on him like his own left and right hands. The purpose of his visit to the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful this time was exactly to explain to the Empress Dowager that Wei Xiaobao killed the four eunuchs she sent under his order, so he would ask that the Empress Dowager did not blame him. Suddenly hearing that the Empress Dowager wanted Wei Xiaobao, he could not help but was startled. He was very filial to her. Although the Empress Dowager was not his own mother, but she raised him up from childhood until he grew up, so she was no different than his own mother. Not daring to disobey, he smiled and said, “Xiao Guizi, the Empress Dowager is promoting you, why haven’t you thanked her for her favor?”

Hearing the Empress Dowager wanted to take him from the Emperor, Wei Xiaobao was already scared out of his wits, in that instant his mind went blank, he only wanted to flee; this time he wanted to run away from the Palace and never come back. Hearing Kangxi, he busily replied, “Yes, yes!” And then he kowtowed and said, “Thank you Empress Dowager for your grace, thank you Your Majesty for your grace.”

“What is it?” the Empress Dowager said with a cold laugh, “You only want to serve His Majesty and do not want to serve me, is that it?”

Wei Xiaobao said, “Serving the Empress Dowager and serving His Majesty are the same, your servant will do it with the same loyalty and devotion, I will strive hard to do your bidding.”

“That’s good,” the Empress Dowager said, “You don’t need to take care of the Catering Department’s business anymore, you will concentrate on doing the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful’s business.”

“Yes,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “Thank you Empress Dowager for your grace.”

Seeing the Empress Dowager wanted to take over Wei Xiaobao, Kangxi was unhappy; he made some small talk, and then quickly took his leave. Wei Xiaobao followed him out.

The Empress Dowager said, “Xiao Guizi, stay here. Let other people escort His Majesty back. I have something I want you to do.”

“Yes!” Wei Xiaobao replied. In a daze he watched Kangxi’s back as he left the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, thinking, “This time you leave, I will be in big trouble. I don’t know if I can see you again in the future.” He almost could not hold his desire to cry aloud.

The Empress Dowager drank her tea slowly, while her gaze had never left Wei Xiaobao, sizing him up. She noticed that he was very scared. After a long time she asked, “The man who is going to Wutai Mountain to sell plain steamed buns, when is he going to return?”

“Your servant does not know,” Wei Xiaobao replied.

“When are you going to see him again?” the Empress Dowager asked.

Wei Xiaobao said whatever came into his head, “Your servant has agreed to meet him in a month, but it won’t be at the Heavenly Bridge anymore.”

“Where is it?” the Empress Dowager asked.

Wei Xiaobao replied, “He said that when the time comes, he will find a way to notify your servant.”

The Empress Dowager nodded, she said, “In that case you may stay in the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, waiting for his news.” She gently clapped her hands, and from the inner chamber a palace maid appeared.

The palace maid looked like she was thirty five or thirty six years old, very fat, yet her footsteps were very lithe. Her face looked like a full moon, with small eyes and big mouth; she giggled while bowing to pay her respect to the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager said, “This little eunuch is called Xiao Guizi, he is audacious and is a trouble maker, but I like him very much."

The palace maid smiled and said, “Yes, this Xiao Xiongdi looks very clever. Xiao Xiongdi, my name is Liu Yan, but you can just call me Jiejie.”

Wei Xiaobao said in his heart, “Damn it, you are a fat pig!” But he laughed and said, “Yes, Liu Yan Jiejie, your name is very appropriate, your figure looks like a willow tree, your steps are light and quick, just like a little swallow [Liu – willow, Yan – swallow].” In front of the Empress Dowager, no other eunuch or palace maid had ever dared to say even half a frivolous word like that, but Wei Xiaobao knew he was doomed anyway; there was no difference whether he said it or not, but even if he did not say it, he would not be spared anyway.

Liu Yan giggled and said, “Xiao Xiongdi, your mouth is sweet indeed.”

The Empress Dowager said, “His mouth is sweet, his feet are quick. Liu Yan, think of a way to keep him from running this way and that, wandering and rushing aimlessly around the Palace.”

Liu Yan said, “Empress Dowager may hand him over to your servant, let me look after him well.”

The Empress Dowager shook her head and said, “This little monkey is very slippery, you can’t continuously keep your eyes on him. I sent Rui Dong to summon him, he smooth-talked him so that that coward ran away. I sent four eunuchs to summon him, he colluded with the Imperial Bodyguards and killed those four eunuchs. I sent four more eunuchs; I don’t know what kind of trick he had, unexpectedly Dong Jinkui and the others, four people, were also killed.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Liu Yan clucked her tongue repeatedly; she laughed and said, “Aiyo, Xiao Xiongdi, you are too naughty, aren’t you too difficult to be dealt with? Empress Dowager, if we chopped both of his legs and just let him lie down nicely, won’t we enjoy a lot more of peace and quiet?”

The Empress Dowager sighed and said, “I’ll say it might be the only way.”

Wei Xiaobao sprang up and bolted toward the door. His left leg had just stepped over the threshold, suddenly he felt his scalp tightened, someone pulled his pigtail. His head was jerked backward, his body refused to obey him and he fell flat on his back, there was a severe of pain on the pit of his stomach as a foot stepped on his chest. It was a big and fat foot, wearing red satin shoe embroidered with golden flower; Liu Yan’s foot had landed on him. In desperation Wei Xiaobao’s mouth rained curses, “Stinky mother, take your stinky foot off!”

Liu Yan added more force into her foot, a dozen or so ribs in Wei Xiaobao’s chest were making random cracking noise, he could not even breathe. He heard Liu Yan said with a laugh, “Xiao Xiongdi, your pair of feet is very fragrant, I really want to chop them down and have a smell.”

Wei Xiaobao thought that the Empress Dowager hated him to the bones; she would not hesitate to chop both of his feet, and then have him carried up to see the man who was supposed to transmit the news to Rui Dong. She might also dispatch a martial art master to follow the man going up Wutai Mountain in secret, and had Rui Dong killed. But Rui Dong was no longer on the world of the living, so his trick would eventually be exposed. The most important matter right now was to save his legs; since a threat would be useless right now, he could only try to entice her with something she wanted. Thereupon he coldly said, “Empress Dowager, it’s not a big deal for you to chop my legs; even if you chop my head, Xiao Guizi will only getting a bit shorter; there is nothing special about it. Too bad about the Forty-two-chapter Sutra. Hey, hey, hey, hey …”

As soon as the Empress Dowager heard the words ‘Forty-two-chapter Sutra’, she stood up immediately and asked, “What did you say?”

“I said, unavoidably it will be too bad about that book ‘Forty-two-chapter Sutra’,” Wei Xiaobao replied.

The Empress Dowager said to Liu Yan, “Let him get up.” Liu Yan lifted her left foot from Wei Xiaobao’s chest; inserting her foot underneath Wei Xiaobao’s body, she kicked Wei Xiaobao’s back that his body shot up. Stretching out her left hand, she grabbed Wei Xiaobao by the back of his collar, lifted him up high in the air, and then put him down heavily on the floor. All along Wei Xiaobao was unable to neither resist nor struggle free, as if he was merely an infant. The curse ‘stinky mother’ was already on the tip of his tongue, but he was so scared that he swallowed it back into his belly.

---

[1]Orig. 千穿万穿，马屁不穿 [qian chuan wan chuan, ma pi bu chuan] - lit. ‘thousand times bore through, ten thousand times bore through; horse’s fart does not bore through’. Horse fart is an idiom for ‘flattery’ or ‘boot-licking’.

[2] Founding Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, with regnal name Hongwu.

[3] Yao (c. 2200 BC) – one of five legendary emperors of ancient China, Shun (c. 22^nd century BC) – mythical sage and leader, Yu (c. 21^st century BC) – mythical leader who tamed the floods. Tang refers to King Tang of Shang (1675 BC -1646 BC) who was the first ruling king of the Shang dynasty in Chinese history. He overthrew Jie, the last ruler of the Xia dynasty. Tang's reign was regarded as a good one by the Chinese. He lowered taxes and the conscription rate of soldiers. His influence spread to the Yellow River, and many outlying tribes became vassal states. (Courtesy of Ace High)

[4] Orig. ‘kept hoodwinked inside a drum’.

[5] Reminder: ‘wu’ and ‘liu’ means ‘five’ and ‘six’, respectively.

[foxs]

The Empress Dowager asked, “About the ‘Forty-two-chapter Sutra’, where did you hear it from?”

Wei Xiaobao said, “You are going to chop my two legs anyway, I won’t say anything, we are all going to go our own way[1], I won’t have any legs any head, you won’t have the ‘Forty-two-chapter Sutra’.”

Liu Yan said, “I advise you to answer the Empress Dowager’s question nicely.”

Wei Xiaobao said, “If I answer, I will die, if I don’t answer, I will also die; why would I want to answer? At most you will punish me heavier, I am not afraid.”

Liu Yan picked up his left hand; she said with a laugh, “Xiao Xiongdi, your fingers are slim and long, they look exceptionally good.”

“At most you can cut off my fingers,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Nothing special about it …” before he finished speaking, he felt severe pain on his finger. “Ah!” he screamed, as Liu Yan’s two fingers held his left-hand forefinger and pinched it hard, that his bone was nearly broken. The fat woman had a smiling, affable face, but they way she made her move was very ruthless, the power of her fingers was even more astonishing, her pinch felt like a pair of iron pliers.

This time Wei Xiaobao suffered a major pain, tears flowing continuously from his eyes. “Empress Dowager,” he called out, “Kill me quickly, that book ‘Forty-two-chapter Sutra’, the one called ‘the old cat smelling salted fish’, just smell the wine-preserved pomfret, just smell the fish!” [Book note: the word ‘smell the wine-preserved pomfret’ (xiu xiang - 嗅鲞 ), sounds alike ‘don’t even think about it’ (xiu xiang - 休想 )]

“Just tell me the truth about the ‘Forty-two-chapter Sutra’, I’ll spare your life,” the Empress Dowager said.

“I don’t need you to spare my life,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “I am determined not to say anything about the book.”

The Empress Dowager frowned slightly, she was actually at a loss of how to deal with this stubborn child. After half a day, she slowly said, “Liu Yan, if he does not want to talk, you may dig out his two eyeballs.”

Liu Yan laughed and said, “Very good, I will dig out one eyeball first. Xiao Xiongdi, your eyeballs grew to be very pretty, they are black and round, and can spin and roll around. But after I dig them out, they won’t look too pretty anymore.” While saying that, she placed the thumb of her right hand on his right eyelid and pushed it slightly.

Wei Xiaobao felt a stabbing pain on his eyeball, he had no choice but to surrender. “I surrender, I surrender!” he cried out, “Don’t dig my eyeballs out, I’ll talk.”

Liu Yan let off her hand; she said with a smile, “Now that’s a good child. Just talk nicely, the Empress Dowager will love you very much.”

Wei Xiaobao reached up to rub his eye, blinking the hurting eye several times. He closed the other eye, cocked his head and looked at Liu Yan for a moment, and then he shook his head and said, “It’s not right, it’s not right!”

“What’s not right?” Liu Yan asked, “Don’t put on an act, the Empress Dowager is asking you a question, quickly give her an honest answer.”

“You have damaged my eyeball,” Wei Xiaobao said, “The things I look at change shapes. I see you as having a human body, but on your neck grew a big fat pig head.”

Liu Yan was not angry; she giggled and said, “That sounds fun. I must damage your left eyeball too.”

Wei Xiaobao took a step back and said, “Please excuse me this time, thank you very much.” He shut his left eye and looked at the Empress Dowager, and then he shook his head.

The Empress Dowager thought, “This little demon looked at Liu Yan with one eye and said a pig’s head rested on her neck. Now he looked at me the same way; although his mouth did not say anything, I don’t know how he is cursing me in his heart, he must be saying that he saw some animal’s head resting on my neck.” She said coldly, “Liu Yan, you’d better dig his eyeball now, so that he won’t look to the east and to the west.”

Wei Xiaobao hastily said, “If I don’t have any eyeball, how am I going to get the ‘Forty-two-chapter Sutra’ for you?”

“You have a ‘Forty-two-chapter Sutra’?” the Empress Dowager asked, “Where did you get it from?”

“Rui Dong gave it to me,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “He asked me to take a good care of it, to keep it in a very secret place. He said, ‘Xiao Guizi Xiongdi, there are a lot of people in the Palace who want to harm you. If in the future you have some unfortunate things happen to you, like taking your eyeballs out or chopping your legs, this book henceforth will not see the light of the day. The person who harms you, although his eyeballs are not blind, he won’t see this treasured scripture, so he won’t differ from someone whose eyeballs are blind. This is called ‘acting for oneself and suffer the consequences’. Empress Dowager, the scripture has a red silk envelope with white border around it. I don’t know if it is the one you want.”

The Empress Dowager did not believe Rui Dong said those words, but it was a fact that she sent Rui Dong on a mission to put to death the leader of the Bordered Red Banner Hochabo and took the copy of Forty-two-chapter Sutra hidden in his mansion. When Rui Dong came back to report that day, she was anxious to have Wei Xiaobao killed to close his mouth, hence she did not have time to inquire about the sutra. This time she heard Wei Xiaobao said so, she was angry and happy at the same time; angry because unexpectedly Rui Dong handed over the sutra to this little demon, happy because finally she found the sutra’s whereabouts. “Since that’s the case,” she said, “Liu Yan, go with this little demon to fetch the sutra and give it to me. If the sutra is not fake, we will spare his life, and return him to the Emperor. Afterwards we won’t allow him to enter the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful forever, to avoid I seeing this little demon and get angry.”

Liu Yan pulled Wei Xiaobao’s right hand and said with a laugh, “Xiao Xiongdi, let’s go!”

Wei Xiaobao shook her hand away, he said, "I am a man, you are a woman, what do you want holding and pulling my hand like that?" Liu Yan seemed to hold his palm only gently, who would have thought that it was as if there a very strong suction force from her fingers? Wei Xiaobao's palm was firmly stuck onto her hand, he was unable to shake her hand away.

Liu Yan said with a laugh, "You are an eunuch, how can you be regarded as a man? Even if you are a real man, you, this little demon, is still too young to be my son."

"Is that right?" Wei Xiaobao asked, "You want to be my mother? I think you look exactly like my mother."

How would Liu Yan know that in a roundabout way, Wei Xiaobao was cursing her as a wh0re? "Pei!" she spat, and then she laughed and said, "Your Miss is a virgin, don't talk nonsense!" Pulling his hand, she took him out.

As they reached the long corridor, Wei Xiaobao was frantically trying to find an ingenious way to escape from her clutch. The extremely sharp dagger was inside his right boot, if he could stretch out his right hand, he could pull it out, but as soon as he made a move, she would detect it immediately. This woman's martial art skill was very profound, even if he had a very sharp weapon in his hand, he might not necessarily able to exchange three moves or two styles with her. He muttered under his breath, "Damn it, where did this fat pig come from? Why didn't Boss Qian deliver a good pig? When he sent that fat pig, I already felt something inauspicious. When the old wh0re fought the old turtle, I am sure this fat sow was not in the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful yet; otherwise, as soon as she came out to help, the old turtle would die immediately. This sow must have arrived in the Palace within the last couple of days, otherwise, a few days ago the old wh0re would have sent her to kill me, she did not have to personally do the job." Thinking to this point, he had a sudden idea, he led her eastwards, toward the Upper Study Room next to the Palace of Heavenly Purity. He figured out that all he need to do was to ask Kangxi to save his life. This fat pig had not been in the Palace for too long, she might not necessarily know the pathways around the Palace.

He only took one step to the east, the second step had not been taken, the back of his collar tightened, Liu Yan had seized him. With a giggle she said, "Good Xiongdi, where are you going?"

"To my room to fetch the scripture of course," Wei Xiaobao replied.

"Why are you heading toward the Upper Study Room, then?" Liu Yan asked, "You are thinking of asking His Majesty to save you?"

Wei Xiaobao could not bear not to curse, "Stinky pig, you know the way around the palace."

Liu Yan said, "Other places I might not know, but around the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, and your, Xiao Xiongdi's dwelling, I can't be wrong." She exerted her strength to the right, Wei Xiaobao's body was twisted westwards. She said with a laugh, "Just walk obediently, don't waste other people's time." Her voice was gentle, but the power with which she twist Wei Xiaobao was really heavy. Wei Xiaobao's neck bones made some cracking noise, he yelled in pain, he thought that his neck bone had been wrenched apart by her.

There were two eunuchs ahead, when they heard his scream, they turned their heads around. Liu Yan said in a low voice, "The Empress Dowager ordered me to kill you immediately whenever you want to run away or make noise to call people."

Wei Xiaobao thought that even though he cried for help and alarmed the Emperor, Kangxi would not possibly defy the Empress Dowager's order. Although the Emperor was good to him, in no way would he anger his mother for the sake of a little eunuch. It would be best if they could come across several Imperial Bodyguards, so that he could instigate them to kill Liu Yan. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain on his waist as with her elbow she struck him hard; he heard her saying, "Thinking of using some trick?"

Wei Xiaobao had no choice but to walk toward his own room. He mused, "When we get to my room, although I will have two helpers, both Fang Yi and Xiao Junzhu are injured; even if we fight three to one, we still cannot overcome this big fat pig. If she saw any sign of those two girls, I would only deliver those two people's lives in vain."

When they reached the front door, Wei Xiaobao took out the key to unlock the door. He deliberately bumped the key to the lock, making a loud clinking noise. "Stinky mother," he said loudly, "Big fat pig, you torment me like this, I'll say that there will come a day that you will not die a good death."

Liu Yan laughed and said, "You can't even tell if you will die a good death or not, yet you meddle into other people's business."

'Bang!' Wei Xiaobao shoved open the door, he said, "Whether I give the scripture to the Empress Dowager or not, you will kill me anyway. Do you think I am a fool, thinking that I will be lucky enough to escape with my life?”

“The Empress Dowager already said she will spare you,” Liu Yan said, “Most likely she will spare your life, at most she will dig your eyeballs and chop off your legs.”

Wei Xiaobao cursed, “You think the Empress Dowager is treating you very well? After you kill me, the Empress Dowager will definitely kill you to shut your mouth.” These words seemed to echo the load in Liu Yan’s mind. She stared with blank expression for a moment, but then she exerted her strength to give Wei Xiaobao’s back a push. Wei Xiaobao could not stand his ground, he crashed into the room. He talked a lot outside the room with the hope that Fang Yi and Xiao Junzhu would hear and know that an extremely ferocious enemy was coming, so that they could withdraw inside the quilt and not dare to breathe too loud.

Liu Yan laughed and said, “I don’t have time to wait for you, get it a little quicker please.” And she pushed heavily on his back again. Wei Xiaobao stumbled several steps into the inner room. Liu Yan followed him in.

Wei Xiaobao took a glance and saw two pairs of women's shoes arranged neatly in front of the bed. It was already dark outside, there was neither lantern nor candle lighted in the room. Having entered the room later, Liu Yan did not immediately see the shoes. "Not good!" Wei Xiaobao cried out inwardly. Seizing the opportunity he threw himself forward and pushed the two pairs of shoes underneath the bed, while he himself also crawled inside, thinking that perhaps this time he would be able to kill the fat pig the same way he killed Rui Dong. As soon as he was in, he pulled his right leg in so that his right hand could reach and pull the dagger inside his boot. Unexpectedly, his right ankle tightened, it was grabbed by Liu Yan.

"What are you doing?" he heard Liu Yan asked.

"I am getting the book," Wei Xiaobao replied, "I keep it under the bed."

"Alright!" Liu Yan said; thinking that he would not be able to run anywhere from under the bed, she released her grip. Wei Xiaobao shrank his body as small as possible, while pulling the dagger and held it in his hand. "Take it out!" Liu Yan shouted.

"Uh, there must be some rats in here," Wei Xiaobao said, "Aiyo, aiyo, it's really bad, why did they chew the book into pieces?"

"It's useless for you to play any trick in front of me!" Liu Yan said, "Give me the book!" She stretched out her hand to grab, but she grabbed an empty air, because Wei Xiaobao had withdrawn and leaned against the wall. Liu Yan crawled two chi forward, the upper part of her body was already under the bed, again she stretched out her fingers to grab.

Wei Xiaobao turned around slightly, without making any noise he stabbed the dagger forward. The tip of the dagger had just touched the back of her hand, Liu Yan had already detected it; her reaction was extremely fast and nimble, flipping her right hand over, she grabbed Wei Xiaobao's wrist and squeezed it hard. Wei Xiaobao entirely lost the strength in his hand, and had no choice but to let the dagger dropped.

Liu Yan laughed and said, "You want to kill me? I'll dig out your eyeballs first." With her right hand she grabbed his throat, with her left fingers she was about to dig his eyes.

"A snake!" Wei Xiaobao cried out.

Liu Yan was startled. "What?" she said. Suddenly, "Ah!" she screamed, the hand grabbing Wei Xiaobao's throat slowly loosened, her body twisted several times, and then she dropped down to the floor.

Wei Xiaobao was startled but happy; quickly he crawled out from under the bed, only to head Mu Jianping said, "Are ... are you injured?"

Wei Xiaobao lifted the mosquito net open and saw Fang Yi sitting on the bed, holding the sword's hilt with both hands, continuously gasping for breath. The sword blade penetrated the mattress to the bottom of the bed, right up to the hilt. Turned out she heard Wei Xiaobao's desperate situation and thrust the sword down from above the bed, passing through the cotton-padded mattress and the bed frame strung with palm fiber, straight into Liu Yan's back.

Wei Xiaobao kicked Liu Yan's buttocks. Seeing she did not move at all, he was very happy. "Good ... Good Jiejie," he said, "You saved my life."

Based on Liu Yan's martial art skill, Fang Yi's sneak attack would not easily succeed; but since seeing Wei Xiaobao unlocking the door, Liu Yan had never thought that there was someone else in the room. Moreover, the sword had come from above the mattress, stabbing down, so that she did not have the slightest indication of the incoming attack. By the time she realized it, the sword had already pierced her heart. Even if her martial art skill was ten times stronger, she would still be incapable to evade. But then a real martial art master of her rank would not crawl underneath the bed to grab others. Wei Xiaobao was afraid she had not died completely, he pulled the sword and thrust it through the mattress two more times.

"Who is this wicked woman?" Mu Jianping asked, "She was quite vicious, she wanted to dig out your eyeballs."

"She is the old wh0re Empress Dowager's subordinate," Wei Xiaobao replied. Turning to Fang Yi he asked, "Is your wound painful?"

With a crease of her eyebrows Fang Yi replied, "Tolerable!" Actually, she had exerted an enormous effort in thrusting the sword a moment ago that her wound was affected; the pain was so severe that she nearly fainted, beads of perspiration were dripping from her forehead.

---

[1] Orig. ‘yi pai liang san’ – one strike, two parts, meaning separation/breaking up of marriage or business partnership.

[foxs]

Wei Xiaobao said, "Very soon the old wh0re will send someone else here, we have to think of a way to escape immediately. Um, you two girls change into men's clothing, disguise yourselves as eunuchs, we'll sneak out of the Palace. Good Jiejie, can you walk?"

"I can force myself to," Fang Yi replied.

Wei Xiaobao took out two sets of his own clothing. "Put these on," he said.

Dragging Liu Yan's body from under the bed, he stabbed it several times with his dagger, and then sprinkled some 'Corpse Transforming Powder' on the wounds. Hastily he packed his banknotes, gold, silver and jewels, two copies of the 'Forty-two-chapter Sutra', as well as the martial art manual from his Shifu into a bundle. Naturally he also brought along the large bundle of knockout drug and the 'Corpse Transforming Powder'.

Mu Jianping finished changing her clothes and she got out of the bed first. "What a smart-looking little eunuch," Wei Xiaobao praised, "Let me help you with the braid."

A moment later, Fang Yi also got out of the bed. Her stature was slightly taller than Wei Xiaobao, the clothes she wore was stretched tight, it was not a good-fitting at all. When she looked at the mirror, she could not help laughing.

Mu Jianping said with a laugh, "I let him helped me with my braid, let me help Shijie with your braid."

Wei Xiaobao took Mu Jianping's long hair and carelessly braided big pigtail. Mu Jianping looked herself in the mirror and said, "Aiyo, it's so ugly, I have to redo the braid."

"We don't have time to redo it right now," Wei Xiaobao said, "It's already dark, we can't go out the Palace. When the old wh0re realizes the fat pig is not coming back, she will send someone else to get me. We must find another place to hide, early in the morning tomorrow we will sneak out of the Palace."

Fang Yi asked, "Won't the old ... the Empress Dowager send people to investigate all gates of the Palace thoroughly?"

"We have no choice but to take it one step at a time," Wei Xiaobao replied. He remembered the room where he used to have martial art and wrestling contest with Kangxi was very quiet, he had never seen a third person come over there, thereupon he helped the two girls walking out of his residence.

Mu Jianping's leg was broken, she took the door bolt[1] and used it as a crutch. Fang Yi took a step, but her chest was hurting. Wei Xiaobao wrapped his right arm around her waist, half lifting and half pulling, he helped her walk. Luckily it was already dark outside, plus he picked the most secluded pathway. They came across several eunuchs, but nobody paid them any attention. When they reached the room, all three of them breathed a sigh of relief. Wei Xiaobao turned around and bolted the door, and then helped Fang Yi sitting on a chair. He said in a low voice, "We must not talk in here, there is a corridor outside, it's not as secluded as my room."

The night grew darker, at first they could still see each other's facial features, afterwards all they could see was dim silhouette of each other. Mu Jianping did not like the pigtail braided by Wei Xiaobao, she untied it and redid it herself. Fang Yi pulled her own pigtail and rubbed it in her hands and played with it. "Ah!" suddenly she exclaimed softly.

"What is it?" Wei Xiaobao asked.

"Nothing," Fang Yi replied, "I dropped a silver hairpin."

"Ah," Mu Jianping said, "It was me. When I untied your hair, I put that silver hairpin on the table, after I finished braiding your pigtail, I forgot to give that silver hairpin back to you. Oh no, it was a gift from Liu Shige, wasn't it?"

"Only a hairpin, it doesn't really matter," Fang Yi said.

Although she said it did not matter, Wei Xiaobao could hear the extreme disappointment in her voice; he thought, "I must be a good person to the end, I'll go quietly and get the hairpin back for her." But he did not say anything for the time being. After a while, he said, "I am very hungry, if I have to wait until tomorrow, I am afraid I won't have the strength to walk. I'll go out to find something to eat."

"Come back quickly," Mu Jianping said.

"I will," Wei Xiaobao replied. He went to the door and listened, after making sure there was nobody outside, he opened the door and walked out.

He quickly returned to his room. Afraid that the Empress Dowager might send someone to wait for him, he circled to the back of the room and listened for quite a long time. When he was sure there was nobody inside and outside, he pushed the window open and climbed in. Sure enough, under the moonlight he could see the silver hairpin lying on the table. The workmanship of this silver hairpin was very crude, at most it only worth one or two qian. He thought, "Liu Yizhou is very poor, he presented Miss Fang with such an ugly gift." He spat on the hairpin before putting it inside his pocket. From tin cans, wicker baskets, drawers, shelves above the bed, and so on he carelessly took some cakes, pastries and other snacks and stuffed everything into a cardboard box and put it inside his pocket.

He was about to climb out the window when suddenly he saw a pair of red shoes embroidered with golden thread in front of the bed, unexpectedly, there was a foot in each shoe.

Wei Xiaobao jumped up in fright. It was indeed terrifying to see under the dim moonlight a pair of cut off feet wearing a pair of bright-colored red shoes. But he understood immediately: when Liu Yan's body was dissolved by the 'Corpse Transforming Powder', the ground in front of the bed was uneven, the corpse turned into yellow liquid and flowed toward the bottom of the bed, leaving behind a pair of feet that did not melt. He turned around, wanted to kick the pair of feet into the yellow liquid, but the yellow liquid had dried out. His 'Corpse Transforming Powder' was in the bundle by Fang Yi and Mu Jianping's side. Racking his brain, suddenly his childish mind was aroused, "Damn it, this time laozi leave the Palace and won't see the old wh0re anymore. Laozi will throw these two feet into her room to scare her half dead." Fetching a long gown, he took the pair of feet complete with the shoes and wrapped everything firmly before he finally climbed out the window and quietly walked toward the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful.

As he approached the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, he did not dare to walk straight into it but circled around the flowering bushes instead. For each step he took, he stopped and listened for a while; thinking, "If I am not careful, the old wh0re might get me; won't that mean I am walking into a trap?" He was excited, but scared at the same time. Step by step he crept toward the Empress Dowager's personal chamber. His palms were sweating more and more, he mused, "I'll put these pig hooves on the step stone in front of the door, she will definitely find it tomorrow, it's too dangerous to sneak into the courtyard."

He quietly took two more steps forward, suddenly he heard a man's voice saying, "What's wrong with Ah Yan? Why she has not come back by now?"

Wei Xiaobao was greatly surprised, "How can there be a man in the room?" he thought, "The voice does not belong to an eunuch. Is it possible that the old wh0re has a lover? Ha ha, laozi must catch these adulterous lovers." Although in his heart he wanted to 'catch these adulterous lovers', he would not dare to do it, even if he had ten times more courage. But his curiosity was greatly piqued, he was unwilling to simply put down the cutoff feet and leave.

He tiptoed toward the voice for several steps, with each step he carefully lifted up his foot and even more carefully put it down, to guard against stepping on a deadwood and thus make a noise. He heard the man snorted and said, "Perhaps something has changed. Since you already knew this little demon is very crafty, why did you let Ah Yan went with him alone?"

Wei Xiaobao said in his heart, "Turns out you are talking about laozi." He heard the Empress Dowager said, "Ah Yan's martial art skill is ten times higher than his, she is also very astute, very vigilant in each step she takes, how can she meet with any mishap? Most likely the sutra is kept far away from here, so Ah Yan has to go with that little demon."

The man said, "Naturally it is very good if we can get the sutra; otherwise, humph, humph!"

The tone of his voice was very stern, speaking like that to the Empress Dowager was indeed extremely rude. Wei Xiaobao was getting more and more puzzled, "Who in the world can talk to her like that? Could it be that the Old Emperor is back from Mount Wutai?" Thinking that Emperor Shunzhi was back at the Palace, he was very excited; he thought he was going to see some good action very soon. What he found very strange was that there was not a single palace maid or eunuch around; presumably the Empress Dowager had sent them all away.

He heard the Empress Dowager said, "You know I have done everything possible. With my capacity right now, I can't personally go back and forth around the Palace with a little eunuch. As soon as I took a step out of the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, a large entourage of palace maids and eunuchs will follow me around, how can I manage to get anything done?"

The man said, "Can't you wait until it was dark to send him out? Or just notify me, let me go with him to fetch the sutra."

"I do not dare to toil your honorable self," the Empress Dowager replied, "We must not reveal any trail of your presence here."

With a cold laugh the man said, "Coming across an important matter like this, why do we care? I know, you did not want to notify me for fear I would snatch away your meritorious service."

"What is there to be snatched away?" the Empress Dowager asked, "So what if I have meritorious service or not? I only hope to go through one year in peace and security, without any problem." The tone of her voice was brimming with grudge and hatred.

If it were not for the fact that Wei Xiaobao knew it clearly that it was the Empress Dowager's voice, he would have thought it was an old palace maid complaining because someone was blaming her. The two of them were speaking in very low voices, but Wei Xiaobao was very near, plus there was no other noise in the calm night, hence he was able to hear everything clearly. Hearing those two talking about 'snatching away some meritorious service', he knew the man was definitely not Emperor Shunzhi.

Wei xiaobao could not suppress his curiosity anymore, slowly he crawled to the window and peeked inside from a crack on the window. He had already had enough experience standing outside the window and peeping inside like this at the Lovely Spring Courtyard; he mused, "Before I was peeping the brothel patrons chasing my mother, tonight I am peeping the old wh0re receiving a patron."

He saw the Empress Dowager was leaning sideway, sitting on a chair, and a palace maid was pacing back and forth in the room with hands behind her back; other than these, there was no other person inside. "Where did that man go?" he thought.

He saw the palace maid turned around and said, "I can't wait, I am going out to look." As soon as she opened her mouth, Wei Xiaobao jumped in fright, because the palace maid had a male's voice, it was she who had just spoken. From the crack on the window Wei Xiaobao could only see her chest, but not her face.

"I am coming with you," the Empress Dowager said.

With a cold laugh the palace maid said, "You don't feel at ease."

"Why wouldn't I feel at ease?" the Empress Dowager said, "I suspect Ah Yan is doing something strange, by working together, it will be easy for the two of us to control her."

"Hm, we can't not guard against that," the palace maid said, "Don't let the boat capsize in the gutter. Alright, let's go."

The Empress Dowager nodded, she walked toward the bedside, lifted the bedding open, and pulled a piece of wooden board. There was a flicker under the candle light, a dagger appeared in her hand. She insert the dagger into its sheath and put it inside her pocket. Wei Xiaobao thought, "Turns out the old wh0re has such a secret compartment. To guard against assassination, she did not have the dagger inside the sheath, so that with one grab she could make a kill, no need to pull the dagger from its sheath. In such a critical moment, she would not lose precious split seconds."

He saw the Empress Dowager and the palace maid walked out of the bedroom, unlatched the palace gate, and left the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, but the candle in the bedroom was not extinguished. Wei Xiaobao thought, "I'll put these pig's feet in that secret compartment on her bed, when she returned the dagger, she would grope this pair of pig's hooves. I guarantee she will be scared out of her wits."

Thinking that this plan was indeed ingenious, he sneaked into the room, lifted the bedding up, and saw a small copper ring on the bed board. He reached down and pulled, a wooden plank, about one chi wide and two chi long, rose up smoothly. Underneath he saw a rectangular secret compartment. Astonishingly, there were three books inside, the books were precisely the 'Forty-two-chapter Sutra' that he had seen before. The first two were the copies he got from Oboi's mansion, only the jade box where the books were originally kept was missing. The other copy had a white silk envelope. From what he heard that night when Hai Laogong was talking to the Empress Dowager, he mentioned that Emperor Shunzhi gave a copy to Consort Donggo as a gift; the Empress Dowager must have took it after she killed Consort Donggo. Wei Xiaobao decided it must be this copy.

He was greatly delighted. "I don't know what the fart these books are for," he thought, "But everybody seems to regard it so highly. Laozi might as well leading away the goat in passing, so that the old wh0re will be angered to half-dead." Immediately he took the three sutras and stuffed them inside his pocket. And then he shook Liu Yan's feet from the long gown to let the feet fall into the secret compartment. He put the wooden plank back and replaced the bedding. Kicking the long gown underneath the bed, he was about to turn around and leave when he suddenly heard the creaking noise of the door; someone was pushing the door and coming in.

This time he was really scared out of his wits, he did not expect the Empress Dowager and that palace maid to be back this quickly. Having not enough time to think, he ducked and crawled under the bed, while groaning in his heart. He only hoped that the Empress Dowager had simply forgotten something and came back to get it, and would quickly go out again to look for him, he also hoped that whatever it was that she had forgotten was not kept in the secret compartment under the bedding.

He heard the footsteps were light and quick, one person was entering the room, it was a woman. The woman was wearing a pair of light green shoes, her pants were also light green. Looking at the style of the pants, it seemed to him that she was a palace maid. "It must be the palace maid who is waiting on the Empress Dowager," he thought, "She knows martial art, so she can't be Rui Chu. If she does not leave immediately, I might have to kill her. It will be best if she came to the front of the bed." Drawing the dagger quietly, he waited for the palace maid to come to the bed. With one thrust up from below, he could stab her lower abdomen, then he could guarantee that she would lose her life without knowing any rhyme nor reason.

He heard her opening the drawers, opening the cabinet doors, moving and turning things, as if she was looking for something, yet all along she did not come near the bed. Then Wei Xiaobao heard some ripping noise, apparently she had used some sharp weapon to cut open two chests. Wei Xiaobao was startled. "This woman is not an ordinary palace maid; she came to the Empress Dowager's room to steal something. Could it be that she is here to steal that 'Forty-two-chapter Sutra'? She has a sword or a saber in her hand, looks like her martial art skill can't be inferior to laozi; if I go out, not only I can't kill her, I am afraid I will be killed first by her."

He heard the woman was randomly rummaging the chest, she also cut open three more chests on the west and searched around. Wei Xiaobao did not stop cursing her in his belly, "If you are not leaving, the old wh0re may come back soon. I don't care if you want to deliver your life away, but you might drag Wei Xiaobao along to return to the heaven together; you think you have that much face?"

Failing to find whatever she was looking for, the woman was very anxious, she rummaged the chest even faster. Wei Xiaobao was thinking of surrendering, "It would be better for me just to toss these sutras to her, so that she would leave in a hurry."

Right this moment, there were footsteps outside the door, he heard the Empress Dowager said in low voice, "I say that s1ut Liu Yan took the sutra and left."

The woman also heard the voice; it was too late for her to escape, she quickly entered the wardrobe and closed the door.

The palace maid with a man's voice said, "Did you really send Liu Yan to fetch the sutra? How would I know you are not lying to me?"

---

[1] Door bolts in those days are long pieces of wood placed across the door.

[foxs]

"What did you say?" the Empress Dowager said angrily, "Did you say I did not send Liu Yan to fetch the sutra? So what did I send her out for?"

The palace maid said, "How would I know what trick you are playing? Perhaps you were following Liu Yan closely and killed her."

The Empress Dowager snorted angrily, she said, "Aren't you ashamed, being my Shixiong yet say some brainless thing like that? Liu Yan is my Shimei, you think I have such guts to kill her?"

The palace maid coldly said, "You are indeed brazen, vicious and merciless, what matter you can't do?"

The two of them spoke in very low voice, but in the quiet night every word could be heard clearly. Hearing the Empress Dowager called the palace maid her Shixiong and Liu Yan her Shimei, Wei Xiaobao was even more puzzled. The two of them were talking as they entered the room. As soon as they saw the chests were cut open and various objects scattered over the floor, 'Ah!' they cried out in shock together.

"Someone was here to steal the sutra," the Empress Dowager shouted. She rushed toward the bed, flipped the bedding over, and pulled the wooden board. Seeing the sutras were gone, she cried out, "Aiyo!" And then she saw Liu Yan's pair of cutoff feet. "What is that?" she cried in alarm.

The palace maid reached out and picked the feet. "These are women's feet," he said.

The Empress Dowager was scared, "It's Liu Yan, she ... she has been killed," she said.

With a cold laugh the palace maid said, "I wasn't wrong, was I?"

The Empress Dowager was startled and angry at the same time, "What do you mean you weren't wrong?"

The palace maid said, "You are the only one in the world who know the secret hiding place of these books. If it was not you who killed Liu Shimei, how can her feet end up here?"

The Empress Dowager angrily said, "You are still accusing me blindly in here? The sutra thief can't leave too far, let's quickly pursue him."

"Correct," the palace maid said, "Perhaps this person is still in the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful. You ... are you sure you are not playing trick?"

The Empress Dowager did not reply, she turned around and looked at the wardrobe. Step by step she walked toward it, apparently she began to have suspicion toward the wardrobe.

Wei Xiaobao's heart almost jumped out of his throat; the dagger in her hand reflected the flickering light from the candle, the reflection flitted across the floor, presumably the Empress Dowager was opening the wardrobe door with her left hand, while holding the dagger in her right hand. If the dagger was thrust into the wardrobe, undoubtedly the palace maid inside would not be able to evade.

He saw the Empress Dowager was taking a step closer that she was now less than two chi away from the wardrobe. Suddenly 'crash! bang!' the wardrobe toppled over toward the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager was caught off guard, hastily she leaped backward, quite a few clothing of every color flew out of the wardrobe, some landed and wrapped around her head. The Empress Dowager hastily reached out to grab, a piece of clothing was thrown onto her body, suddenly she screamed pitifully, while a dagger, dripping with blood, appeared from within the clothing. Turned out someone was hiding inside the bundle of clothing. The palace maid inside the wardrobe threw clothing to the Empress Dowager so that she was at a loss, and then with one strike she succeeded in stabbing her.

At first the palace maid with a man's voice seemed to be watching with blank expression on his face, only after hearing the Empress Dowager's miserable scream did he send a palm strike toward the bundle of clothes. Wei Xiaobao saw the bundle of clothes rolled away rapidly, the palace maid wearing green clothes leaped out of the bundle of clothes, with a blood-soaked dagger in her hand she pounced toward the palace maid with a man's voice. The palace maid with a man's voice sent out another palm strike, the palace maid wearing green clothes leaned sideways to evade, and then immediately pounced on the enemy again.

From under the bed, Wei Xiaobao could only see those two persons' four feet. The palace maid with a man's voice was wearing grey pants and black satin shoes. The feet wearing green shoes were swiftly advancing and swiftly retreating, the feet wearing black shoes only occasionally took one step forward, and one step backward. The two people were engaged in an intense battle, but Wei Xiaobao did not hear any clashing of the weapons, obviously the palace maid with a man's voice did not have any weapon. Wei Xiaobao cast a sideways glance toward the Empress Dowager; he saw her lying on the floor, motionless, apparently she had died.

He heard the whooshing noise of the palms. After the fighting had been going on for a while, suddenly he saw the room grew darker; one of the three candles had been blown out by the palm wind. Wei Xiaobao mused, "As soon as the other two candles are blown out, I am going to dash out in darkness."

'Whoosh!' another candle was extinguished by the palm wind. The two palace maids were fighting in silence, neither one dared to make the least bit of noise, as if both were afraid of alarming people on the outside. Actually, there were a lot of eunuchs and palace maids in the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, the ruckus had been going on for quite a while, somebody should have had come to check early on, but obviously these people were always under the Empress Dowager's strict order, without her summon, nobody dared to come over and spy on her.

Wei Xiaobao heard ‘Crack! Crack!’ as table and chair’s fragments flew everywhere, secretly he was apprehensive, “This palace maid who talks like a man seems to have a profound martial art, the wind from his palms are everywhere, the table and chair that got hit are smashed.”

Suddenly there was a light shout, followed by a flash of white light, and ‘pop’; the palace maid wearing green clothes’ weapon flew up from her hand and nailed itself on the roof. And then the two of them fell to the ground, wrestling each other into a tangled heap.

Now Wei Xiaobao could see clearly, the two combatants were unleashing their qin na skills, attacking and defending from each other within an area of several chi wide, each move was extremely dangerous. Wei Xiaobao’s knowledge of other type of martial art was very limited, but his training in qin na was quite extensive, he had enough daily sparring with Kangxi. He saw the two palace maids were moving very fast, each attack was ruthless and fierce: gouging the eyes, pounding the chest, twisting the neck, locking the throat, sealing acupoints, cutting off arteries, hooking the wrist, striking with their elbows, not a single move was not attacking the enemy’s vital point. Wei Xiaobao was secretly flabbergasted, “If it were me, I would have cried out ‘surrender’ long ago!”

Wei Xiaobao’s heart was beating in sync with the two people’s palms and hands movement, his only thought was, “Why hasn’t that candle gone out yet?” He was fully aware that those people were entangled in a very tight battle, even if he was crawling out from under the bed in full view, walking out the door with grandiose, the two palace maids would have been no more than stunned to a certain degree, nobody would try to stop him; it’s just that he could not muster enough courage to do just that.

Suddenly the last candle flickered, a female voice grunted, the candle flickered back to light, he saw the palace maid wearing grey pants was pinning down the palace maid wearing green pants, her right elbow was pressing down the palace maid wearing green pants’ throat. The palace maid wearing green clothes’ left arm was suppressed by the enemy that it was hard for her to attack, her right hand made repeated attempts to hook, hit, seize and jab, but was always parried by the opponent’s left hand. Her throat was crushed by the enemy, she was gasping for breath with difficulty, the movement of her right hand gradually slowed down, both of her legs kicked up frantically, it looks like very soon she was going to be strangled to death by the enemy.

Wei Xiaobao thought, “As soon as this grey-clothes palace maid strangled the opponent, she would look under the bed to find the sutra. Wei Xiaobao will turn into Wei Sibao[1]!” Without giving himself any time to think, he sprang up from under the bed, raising the dagger in his hand, and thrust it into the palace maid wearing grey clothes’ back, and pushed it upward, slicing a very long gash, and then leaped back immediately.

The palace maid wearing grey clothes shouted loudly and sprang up, pouncing on Wei Xiaobao, her hands grabbed Wei Xiaobao’s neck and tightened the grip as hard as she could. Clutched by her hands, Wei Xiaobao’s tongue stretched out, bursts of blackness appeared in his eyes. The palace maid wearing green clothes flipped over and jumped up, her right palm fell ferociously down on the left side of the palace maid wearing grey clothes’ neck, and then using her left hand she grabbed her hair and pulled it backward. Suddenly her hand felt loose, she had pulled the palace maid wearing grey clothes’ entire hair away, revealing a bald head. Turned out it was only a wig. Right this moment the palace maid wearing grey clothes’ hands came loose, off of Wei Xiaobao neck. Her own neck twisted several turns, and then she fell to the ground in a heap, while blood gushing out of her back, right away her life had left her.

Still gasping for breath, the palace maid wearing green clothes said, “Thank you Xiao Gong-gong, for saving my life.”

Wei Xiaobao nodded. He was still shaking from fear, while stroking his own neck. With his left hand he pointed to the palace maid wearing grey clothes’ bald head and said, “She … she …”

The palace maid wearing green clothes said, “This man dressed as a woman and mingled in the Palace.”

Suddenly someone was shouting outside the door, “Help, there’s assassin in here!” The voice was half male, half female, it was a eunuch.

With her right hand the palace maid wearing green clothes seized Wei Xiaobao, broke the window and leaped out. Her left hand waved, ‘puff!’ followed by a miserable ‘ah!’, the eunuch was hit by a secret projectile and fell down on the ground.

The palace maid wearing green clothes wrapped her left hand around Wei Xiaobao’s waist to lift him up off the ground and take him rushing northward, going passed the Western Three Places and entered the Yang Hua Gate. By this time Wei Xiaobao was quite a lot taller than when he first entered the Palace, he was quite heavier too. This palace maid in green clothes was more or less the same height as he was, and she was slim, but when rushing forward while carrying him, it was as if she was carrying a baby, she did not show that she was expending the slightest effort. “Good skill!” Wei Xiaobao praised.

The palace maid carried him via a small path winding around the Yuhua Pavilion, Baohua Palace Hall, and arrived at the bank of burning ground by the Fujian Palace[2], before she finally let him down. The burning ground was near the Xi Tie [Western Iron] Gate, it was where the trash and waste from the Palace was incinerated, it was extremely secluded in the evening.

“Xiao Gong-gong,” the palace maid in green clothes asked, “What’s your name?”

“I am Xiao Guizi!” Wei Xiaobao replied.

“Ah!” she exclaimed, “You are the Xiao Guizi Gong-gong who personally arrested Oboi, the Emperor’s most favorite Gong-gong.”

Wei Xiaobao smiled. “I don’t dare!” he said. Although he had seen this palace maid in the Empress Dowager’s bedroom, it was such in a rush that he did not have time to look at her carefully. He thought vaguely that she looked around forty years old. “Jiejie,” he said, “How must I address you?”

The palace maid hesitated slightly, then said, “You and I share fortune and calamity together, I can’t conceal it from you. My surname is Tao, people in the Palace call me Tao Gong’e. What were you doing under the Empress Dowager’s bed?”

Wei Xiaobao said whatever came into his head, “I am under the Emperor’s imperial edict to catch the Empress Dowager’s fornication!”

Tao Gong’e was slightly startled. “Did His Majesty know that palace maid was a man?” she asked.

“His Majesty knew a little bit, but he is not too sure,” Wei Xiaobao replied.

“I … I killed the Empress Dowager,” Tao Gong’e said, “Very soon the commotion will turn the sky and the earth, the Palace gates will be shut, there will be great search. I must leave the Palace immediately. Gui Gong-gong, we’ll meet again someday.”

Wei Xiaobao thought, “The old wh0re finally went to the netherworld to become a wh0re, now I can live in peace and quiet in the Palace, but if they close the Palace gates and launch a great search, Fang and Mu, two girls will face certain disaster; what shall I do?” A bright idea suddenly occurred, “Tao Jiejie,” he said, “I have an idea. I am going to report to His Majesty immediately, I will say that I witnessed that fake palace maid killed the Empress Dowager, but the Empress Dowager had also killed the fake palace maid; the two of them fought until they perished together. The Empress Dowager is dead anyway, she could not testify, you don’t have to escape from the Palace.”

Tao Gong’e hesitated for a moment, then she said, “This idea just might work. But what about that eunuch? Who killed him?”

“I will say it was the fake palace maid who killed him,” Wei Xiaobao said.

“Gui Gong-gong,” Tao Gong’e said, “This matter is very dangerous. Although His Majesty likes you, he will most probably kill you to shut your mouth.”

Wei Xiaobao shivered. “His Majesty also wants to kill me?” he asked, “Why?”

Tao Gong’e said, “His mother had illicit relation with a man, if the rumor leaks out, how do you think His Majesty would react? Even if you guard your mouth like a closed bottle, each time His Majesty sees you, he would unavoidably feel ashamed. Sooner or later he would have to kill you.”

Wei Xiaobao was scared. “He … is he that ruthless?” he asked. But in his heart he knew Tao Gong’e was right, he must never say anything about this to the Emperor.

Right this moment, from the south came several sounds of gong, followed by other gongs all around. It was the Palace’ alarm system whenever there was fire or some other emergency; immediately all the Palace’s Imperial Bodyguards and eunuchs were being dispatched.

“We can’t get out now,” Tao Gong’e said, “You go and pretend to join the hunt for the assassins, I will go back to my room and sleep.” Stretching out her left arm, she wrapped it around Wei Xiaobao’s waist and took him off westward, toward the Yinghua Palace Hall, and put him down by the Palace. “Be careful!” she said in soft voice. Turning around, she disappeared behind a corner.

Wei Xiaobao was worried over Fang Yi and Mu Jianping, hastily he went toward the room where the two of them were hiding. He heard the sound of gongs was getting increasingly urgent, followed by the clamor of people shouting everywhere. Desperately he ran toward the room. “It’s me!” he shouted.

Fang and Mu, two girls were already frightened that their faces were drained of blood. “What’s that gong?” Mu Jianping asked, “Are they coming to arrest us?”

“Not that,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “The old wh0re is dead! People are shouting and jumping over everywhere. We’d better return to my room, it’s relatively safer there.”

“Return to your room?” Mu Jianping said, “We … we killed someone there …”

“Don’t be afraid,” Wei Xiaobao said, “They don’t know about it. Quickly go!” He bent down to help Fang Yi; grabbing his bundle with his left hand, he rushed outside.

The three of them staggered along as they rushed forward for a while, they saw from a fork on the pathway several Imperial Bodyguards were rushing toward them. The leader raised up his torch and shouted, “Who’s there?”

“It’s me,” Wei Xiaobao shouted back, “You must go quickly to protect His Majesty. Is there a fire[3]?”

The guard recognized Wei Xiaobao, hastily he handed the torch over to the guard beside him. With hands by his side he respectfully said, “Gui Gong-gong, I heard something bad happened at the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful.”

“Alright,” Wei Xiaobao said, “You go first, I’ll come soon after.”

The Imperial Bodyguard bowed and said, “Yes!” Leading his men, he left.

Mu Jianping said, “They seem to be very afraid of you. And just now I said we were bad.” While saying that, she struck her own chest repeatedly.

Wei Xiaobao wanted to crack some jokes, to toot his own horn, but he was concerned over the disturbance caused by the Empress Dowager’s death, he wondered what would the aftermath be, he was panic-stricken and could not think of any joke. Along the way they met another group of Imperial Bodyguards before finally arrived at his own residence. Luckily Fang Yi and Mu Jianping were wearing eunuch attire, plus the Imperial Bodyguards were such in a frantic mode that nobody paid any attention to them.

Wei Xiaobao said, “The two of you stay here, whatever happens, do not change your clothes.” Putting his bundle into the chest, he left after locking the door behind him, and rushed to the Palace of Heavenly Purity, where Kangxi’s personal chamber was located.

---

[1] Xiao Bao means little treasure, Si Bao means dead treasure.

[2] Yuhua - Rain Flower Pavilion. The pavilion here is usually two-storied. Baohua – maintaining/guarding splendor (different ‘hua’ character from Yuhua). Fujian – Established Prosperity, same character as Fujian Province.

[3] Orig. 'Has the water flowed?' [是走了水吗] Many people consider saying 失火 [catch a fire] a taboo so they use 走水 instead. (Courtesy of Forgot Pasword)

[foxs]

Chapter 15 - Alliance undergoing concern over the wind and the rain, with a casual order roaming the extensive Rivers and Mountains.
(Translated by Foxs)

LuDingJi-15.jpg

At the teahouse Wei Xiaobao was chatting endlessly with Fang and Mu, two ladies; the three of them did not feel like leaving each other. Suddenly they heard Xu Tianchuan shouted, "Good friend, you still don't want to reveal your true colors until now?" He stretched out his hand to strike the shoulder of a carriage driver on the right.

[foxs]

Hearing the sound of gongs, Kangxi draped his clothes over his shoulder and got up, an Imperial Bodyguard came to report that something bad had happened in the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, but as for the details, he was not clear. Kangxi was feeling anxious when Wei Xiaobao came in; he hurriedly asked, "Is Empress Dowager well? What happened?"

Wei Xiaobao replied, "The Empress Dowager told your servant to retire to my own room for the night, and to come back tomorrow to the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful. Who would have thought ... who would have thought something bad happened in the Palace. I don't know what it is, your servant is trying to find out."

"I am going to pay my respect to the Empress Dowager," Kangxi said, "You come with me."

"Yes," Wei Xiaobao replied.

Kangxi was very filial to the queen mother, without changing clothes, he draped a long robe over his shoulder and hurriedly went out the door. While walking quickly he asked, "Empress Dowager wanted you to serve her, why did you come to my place?"

"Your servant heard the sound of gongs, I was concerned over Your Majesty's safety, so I rushed over," Wei Xiaobao replied, "I really ... really deserve to die."

As soon as Kangxi left his bedroom, the eunuchs around him, as well as a large number of Imperial Bodyguards, followed him, more than a dozen lanterns were lighted all around them. He noticed Wei Xiaobao's clothes and hair was in a complete mess, but how could he guess that it was because Wei Xiaobao had been crawling underneath the Empress Dowager's bed? He thought it was because of his loyalty in protecting his master, his wholehearted concern over the Emperor's safety that without having enough time to change properly, he rushed to the Emperor's room; Kangxi was quite pleased and was reassured.

Walking several more zhang ahead, two Imperial Bodyguards rushed over and reported, "The assassins broke into the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, they killed an eunuch and a palace maid."

Kangxi hurriedly asked, "Was the Empress Dowager's sacred self being disturbed?"

"Dolong Zongguan has already had the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful surrounded tightly to protect the Empress Dowager," the Imperial Bodyguard replied. Kangxi was slightly relieved.

In his heart, Wei Xiaobao said, "Even if he led a hundred thousand troops and horses to protect the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, it's already too late."

It was not too far from the Palace of Heavenly Purity to the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful; they arrived after winding around the Hall of Mental Cultivation and the Taiji [Supreme Ultimate] Hall. They saw the area was as bright as daytime with lanterns and torches, row after row of several hundred Imperial Bodyguards surrounded the Palace, perhaps even a mouse would not be able to pass through, let alone any assassin. Seeing the Emperor, the Imperial Bodyguards kneeled down together. Kangxi waved his hand while quickly entered the Palace. Wei Xiaobao lifted the curtain on the door. Kangxi walked through the door and saw the chests, baskets, and all kinds of stuffs scattered around the bedroom, blood flowed everywhere, two corpses lay on the floor; he was so scared that his heart was thumping madly. "Empress Dowager, Empress Dowager!" he called.

From the bed came the reply in low voice, "Is it the Emperor? Don't worry, I am alright." It was the Empress Dowager's voice.

To say that Wei Xiaobao was mildly shocked was an understatement; he thought, "The old wh0re did not die. I was really muddleheaded, why didn't I stab my dagger onto her body? She is not dead, I may be dead soon." Turning his head around, he was thinking of running away, but outside was fully packed with the Imperial Bodyguards; if he ran away, in less than three steps he would have been captured by them. In his fright his legs went weak, his head dizzy, he felt he was about to collapse.

Kangxi rushed toward the bed and said, "Empress Dowager, you, Senior, were frightened. Child was not able to protect you satisfactorily, it was a grave sin indeed. Those rice bucket Imperial Bodyguards must be punished severely."

Panting, the Empress Dowager said, "No ... nothing. It was just an eunuch and a palace maid fighting ... they ended up killing each other. It has nothing to do with the Imperial Bodyguards."

"Is the Empress Dowager well?" Kangxi asked, "Has it alarmed you?"

"It hasn't!" the Empress Dowager replied, "I was just angry looking at those servants. Emperor, you may leave; tell everybody to go away."

Kangxi said, "Quickly summon the imperial physician to check the Empress Dowager's pulse." Wei Xiaobao was hiding behind him, he did not dare to comply, for fear that the Empress Dowager would see him, or recognize his voice as soon as he opened his mouth.

The Empress Dowager said, "No, don't summon the imperial physician, I will feel better after sleeping. You don't need to move these two people's ... these two servants' bodies ... My heart is really troubled, I don't want to hear people making noise in here. Emperor, tell ... tell everybody to leave quickly." Her voice sounded very weak, she was gasping for breath, obviously the injury she received was not light.

Kangxi was very anxious, but he did not dare to disobey. Actually, he wanted very much to investigate thoroughly why these eunuch and palace maid fight, so that the Empress Dowager was this angry. Although the two of them had died, they had committed such a big crime that their family members must be examined. However, listening to the Empress Dowager, it was obvious that she did not want this matter to be made public, so much so she did not even allow the bodies to be removed. He had no choice but to pay his respect to the Empress Dowager and withdrew from the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful.

Having narrowly escaped from mortal danger, Wei Xiaobao's legs were still weak, holding on to the wall, he also walked out. Kangxi was busy thinking with his head down, he thought that what happened tonight in the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful was quite major, there must be a secret in it, but the Empress Dowager clearly did not want him to get involved. Only after walking with head hung low for a good while did he finally look up and saw Wei Xiaobao was following behind him. "The Empress Dowager wanted you to serve her," he said, "Why are you following me here?"

Wei Xiaobao was thinking that come daybreak he was going to run away from the Palace anyway, hence he felt there was no harm in him saying whatever came into his mind. "The Empress Dowager has just said that her heart is really troubled, she would be angry at the sight of an eunuch. Seeing the Empress Dowager’s holy self is not too well, your servant thought that it would be better to leave her so that she won’t be annoyed.” Kangxi nodded.

Returning to his personal chamber at the Palace of Heavenly Purity, he waited until all the eunuchs serving him had withdrawn before saying, “Xiao Guizi, stay here!” Wei Xiaobao complied.

Kangxi paced back and forth from east to west and back from west to east. After quite a while he asked, “What do you think, why did that eunuch fight the palace maid to their deaths?”

“I may not be able to guess correctly,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “There are so many palace maids and eunuchs with very bad temper in the Palace, they quarrel frequently, sometimes they fight in secret, it’s just that they never let the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty know.”

Kangxi nodded. “Go tell everybody not to mention this matter anymore to avoid provoking the Empress Dowager’s anger,” he said.

“Yes!” Wei Xiaobao replied.

Kangxi said, “You may go!”

Wei Xiaobao paid his respect, turned around and left, thinking, “This time I leave, I will never see you again.” He turned his head around to cast another glance at Kangxi.

Kangxi was also looking at him with a smiling expression on his face. “Come back here,” he said. Wei Xiaobao turned around and walked back. Kangxi opened a golden box by the head of his bed and took out two pieces of pastry. “We have been busy for half a day, your tummy must be very hungry!” he said with a laugh, and then gave the pastries to him.

Wei Xiaobao received the pastries with both hands, thinking that the Empress Dowager was dangerously ruthless, she concealed a man in her bedroom; there would come a day where she would harm the Emperor, while the Emperor was kept in the dark inside a drum, he did not know anything. The Emperor treated him very well, just like a friend or a brother, if he did not make the Emperor aware of this matter and he was killed by the Empress Dowager, Wei Xiaobao thought he was really lacking yi qi. Thinking to this point, a vision appeared in his mind, in which all the muscles and bones in Kangxi’s entire body were broken, his corpse lying on the ground in a miserable condition. His heart ached, he could not hold tears from flowing out of his eyes.

“What is it?” Kangxi asked with a smile, he reached out and patted Wei Xiaobao’s shoulder, saying, “You want to be with me, don’t you? That’s easy; wait till the Empress Dowager is feeling better in a few days, I will talk to the Empress Dowager. To be honest, I also do not want to lose you.”

Wei Xiaobao was overwhelmed with excitement; he thought, “Tao Gong’e said that if I tell the Emperor the truth, he would unavoidably want to kill me to shut my mouth. A hero or a warrior can do anything, but has no choice but to uphold yi qi. If a real man must die, so be it.” Placing the two pieces of pastry on the table, he grabbed Kangxi’s hand and with a trembling voice said, “Xiao Xuanzi, can I call you Xiao Xuanzi again?”

Kangxi laughed and said, “Of course you can. I have already said that whenever there’s nobody else around, we will be just like in the past. You want to have a martial art contest, don’t you? Come, come, come, let the horse come out.” While saying that, he flipped his hands to grab Wei Xiaobao’s hands.

“There’s no hurry to have a martial art contest,” Wei Xiaobao said, “I have a secret important matter I want to tell my good friend Xiao Xuanzi. I simply cannot tell my master, the Lord of Ten Thousand Years, if His Majesty hears it, he will immediately chop my head. But Xiao Xuanzi is my friend, so it is alright.”

Kangxi did not know the gravity of this matter; in his young frame of mind, he only felt that this was all very amusing. Hurriedly he pulled Wei Xiaobao to sit side-by-side on the bed and said, “Tell me quick, tell me quick!”

Wei Xiaobao said, “At this moment you are Xiao Xuanzi, and not the Emperor?”

Kangxi smiled. “Right,” he said, “Right now I am your good friend Xiao Xuanzi, not the Emperor. I have been the Emperor all day long, without any really caring friend; there is no fun in that.”

“Alright,” Wei Xiaobao said, “I’ll tell you everything. If you want to chop my head, I can’t do anything about it.”

Kangxi smiled and said, “Why would I want to chop your head? How can a good friend kill his good friend?”

Wei Xiaobao took a very deep breath, and then said, “I am not the real Xiao Guizi, I am not a eunuch, I killed the real Xiao Guizi.”

Kangxi was flabbergasted. “What?” he asked.

And so Wei Xiaobao briefly narrated his family background and his origin, followed by how he was captured and brought to the Palace, how he poisoned Hai Dafu that he turned blind, how he pretended to be Xiao Guizi, how Hai Dafu taught him martial art; he explained everything in detail.

Listening to this part, Kangxi laughed and said, “Damn it, take your pants off, let me see.”

Wei Xiaobao knew that the Emperor was astute, how could he not personally verify this kind of important matter? He took off his pants immediately.

Seeing Wei Xiaobao really had not been purified to be a eunuch, Kangxi laughed aloud and said, “Turns out you are not a eunuch. Killing the little eunuch Xiao Guizi is not that serious. It’s just that you can’t live in the Palace anymore. Otherwise I would assign you to be the Chief of the Imperial Bodyguards. Although that servant Dolong's martial art is not bad, the way he handles his affairs is very muddleheaded."

Wei Xiaobao buckled up his pants and said, "I thank you very much for that, but I am afraid it won't work. I have heard some secrets relating to the Empress Dowager."

"Related to the Empress Dowager?" Kangxi asked, "What is it?" When asking that question, there was a nagging feeling in his heart that something was not right.

Wei Xiaobao clenched his teeth and started to recount what he heard that night at the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, when the Empress Dowager was talking to Hai Dafu. When he heard that his father, the Emperor Shunzhi, had not died but had become a Buddhist monk at the Qing Liang Temple on Mount Wutai, Kangxi's shock was not a small matter. This delight particularly had made him as if he was jolted and was giddy with excitement. He was shaking all over as he grabbed Wei Xiaobao's hands and with a trembling voice said, "Is this ... is this really true? My Fu Huang [father emperor] ... Fu Huang is still alive?"

"It was exactly what I heard from the Empress Dowager and Hai Dafu," Wei Xiaobao replied.

Kangxi stood up and loudly shout, "That's ... that's marvelous! Marvelous! Xiao Guizi, come daybreak, we will go immediately to Mount Wutai to have an audience with Fu Huang, we will invite him, Senior, to return to the Palace."

Kangxi ruled the land under the heavens, in everything he could do as he wish, his only regret in life was that his father and mother died prematurely. Sometimes in the middle of the night the memory of when his father and mother were still alive came back to him in a dream, and he could not bear but shedding some tears and weep. This moment, after listening to Wei Xiaobao, although unavoidably he had some doubt, he was so happy that his heart was turned upside down.

"I am afraid the Empress Dowager would not approve," Wei Xiaobao said, "All along she concealed it from you, there must be an important reason behind it."

"That's true," Kangxi said, "What reason that might be?" When he first heard that his father had not died, the delight had clouded his inner feelings, but as he thought about it further, countless doubts started to emerge.

Wei Xiaobao said, "I don't understand anything about any important matters in the Palace, I can only repeat word for word everything that the Empress Dowager and Hai Dafu were saying."

"Yes, yes!" Kangxi said, "Tell me quick, tell me quick!"

Hearing about how Empress Duan Jing and Empress Xiao Kang were harmed, Kangxi sprang up and shouted, "You ... are you saying that Empress Xiao Kang was ... was murdered?"

Seeing Kangxi's expression underwent huge changes, his eyes were bulging, the muscles on his face were continuously twitching, Wei Xiaobao could not help but was scared; with a trembling voice he said, "I ... I don't know, I was only repeating what Hai Dafu told the Empress Dowager."

"What did they say, exactly?" Kangxi asked, "You ... repeat the whole thing."

Wei Xiaobao had a very good memory, when he recounted the exchange between the Empress Dowager and Hai Dafu that night, even his intonation was very much alike those two people.

Kangxi was staring blankly for half a day; he said, "My own mother ... my own mother was unexpectedly murdered by others?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "Empress Xiao Kang is ... is ... is your mother?"

Kangxi nodded. "You may continue," he said, "Do not omit a single sentence." His heart was broken, tears flowing down his face.

Wei Xiaobao then recounted how the murderer had used the ‘Transforming Bones Soft Palm’ to kill Empress Duan Jing's son, Prince Rong, and then murdered Empress Duan Jing and Consort Zhen. After Emperor Shunzhi left home to become a Buddhist monk, the Empress Dowager murdered Empress Xiao Kang. He also recounted how the undertaker who prepared Empress Duan Jing and Consort Zhen for burial had accepted Hai Dafu's order to visit the Mount Wutai and report everything to Emperor Shunzhi, how Emperor Shunzhi had sent Hai Dafu back to the Palace to make thorough investigation, and finally how the Empress Dowager and Hai Dafu had exchanged some palm strikes. He did not dare to say that it was he who killed Hai Dafu, he only said that because Hai Dafu was blind, he was not the Empress Dowager's match, so that he died under her palms.

[foxs]

Kangxi calmed himself down, then he asked in detail what happened that night; he often cross-examined Wei Xiaobao by repeatedly asking the same question, until he was convinced that Wei Xiaobao could not possibly make up the story. He looked up in deep thought for a while, and then asked, "Why did you wait until today to tell me all these things?"

"The implication of this matter is too great," Wei Xiaobao replied, "How can I dare to make irresponsible remarks? But tomorrow I am going to run away from the Palace, I won't come back; I thought that it will be very dangerous for you to be alone in the Palace, so I can't conceal it from you anymore."

"Why do you want to go out of the Palace?" Kangxi asked, "Are you afraid the Empress Dowager will harm you?"

"Let me tell you this," Wei Xiaobao said, "The palace maid who died at the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful tonight was a man, he was the Empress Dowager’s Shixiong.”

The fact that a palace maid in the Empress Dowager’s palace was actually a man was naturally unthinkable, but tonight Kangxi had just learned that his father, the late Emperor, unexpectedly was not dead, plus his own mother was murdered by the Empress Dowager, whom he had always had solemn affection to. When he heard that a palace maid was actually a man in disguise, he did not feel strange at all; besides the little eunuch in front of him turned out to be a fake eunuch. “How do you know?” he asked.

Wei Xiaobao said, “After I listened to the Empress Dowager and Hai Dafu that night, the Empress Dowager always wanted to kill me to shut my mouth.” Thereupon he told Kangxi everything, how the Empress Dowager had sent Rui Dong, Liu Yan, as well as groups of eunuchs one after another to kill him. He also related how he heard the Empress Dowager was talking to a man at the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, how that man, who disguised himself as a palace maid, was killed by the Empress Dowager, but the Empress Dowager also suffered injury. Naturally he did not tell the whole truth; he did not mention Tao Gong'e, neither did he mention anything about him killing Rui Dong and Liu Yan, and him stealing several copies of the 'Forty-two-chapter Sutra', and so on.

"That man was the Empress Dowager’s Shixiong?" Kangxi muttered to himself, "From the tone of his voice, it seems that the Empress Dowager was forced to accept someone else's order, I wonder who that person might be? Could it be ... could it be that person knew there was a fake palace maid in Empress Dowager's bedroom, and thus ..."

Listening to Kangxi touching upon the subject of Empress Dowager's 'adultery', Wei Xiaobao did not dare to open his mouth, he only shook his head. It was only a moment later that he said, "I don't have any idea."

"Summon Dolong here," Kangxi said.

Wei Xiaobao complied, he thought, "Is the Emperor going to deal with the Empress Dowager? Is he going to order Dolong to arrest the old wh0re and behead her? Shall I run away as quickly as possible? Or should I stay and help him?"

Dolong was just burning with anxiety; there was accident after accident in the Palace. Although the head above his neck might not be removed, the hat above his head, and the plume above his hat, might be highly unstable. Hearing that the Emperor had summoned him, he hastily came to the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

Kangxi instructed him, "There is nothing at the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, you may immediately withdraw the Imperial Bodyguards all around the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful. The Empress Dowager says that hearing the Imperial Bodyguards standing outside, her heart is very much troubled."

Dolong noticed that although the Emperor's expression looked rather strange, he did not say even half a word of blame. Dolong was ecstatic, he busily kowtowed and went out to transmit the order.

Kangxi's heart was still filled with all kinds of suspicion; he asked Wei Xiaobao a lot of detailed questions. After a long time, he presumed all the Imperial Bodyguards had been withdrawn. He said, "Xiao Guizi, you and I will scout around the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful tonight."

"Are you going to personally scout around?" Wei Xiaobao asked.

"Exactly!" Kangxi said. First, it was a matter of great importance, he could not simply listening to a little eunuch impersonator's one sided story and suspected the queen mother who raised him up; second, 'dangerous night spying mission' was something that people who learn martial art must do. Now that an opportunity had presented itself, how could he let it off easily? He was the Emperor, he could not go out of the Palace to test his skill, being a 'nightwalker' in the Palace was better than nothing. It's just that he had already ordered the Imperial Bodyguards around the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful to be withdrawn, so that when he did the 'night mission', it could not be compared to 'wulin professionals'.

Wei Xiaobao said, "The Empress Dowager has already killed her Shixiong, right now she is sleeping peacefully to nurture her injuries, I am afraid we won't find anything."

"We haven't gone scouting, how do you know we won't find anything?" Kangxi said. Immediately he changed into a casual dress, and wore a pair of thin-soled light boots, it was precisely the same attire he always wore when he had martial art contest against Wei Xiaobao. He fetched a yaodao saber[1] from the head of his bed and hung it on his waist, then they went out from the Palace of Heavenly Purity's side door.

Numerous Imperial Bodyguards and eunuchs were standing in layer upon layer on guard duty around the Palace of Heavenly Purity, as soon as they saw the Emperor, they all kneeled down hurriedly. Kangxi ordered, "Everybody stand, no one is allowed to move randomly." It was the Emperor's imperial edict, who would dare to disobey? Therefore, more than two hundred Imperial Bodyguards and eunuchs were standing straight on their original position, nobody dared to move.

Kangxi took Wei Xiaobao to the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful's garden. It was very quiet, nobody was around. He crawled under the Empress Dowager’s bedroom window and crouched down to listen attentively. He heard the Empress Dowager was coughing incessantly, in that instant, his feeling bubbled up like a tide, it was a mixture of sorrow, bitterness, and excitement. Hearing the Empress Dowager’s coughing, he felt like he wanted to rush in and cry in her bosom, but he also wanted to wrap his fingers around her neck and interrogate her sternly: what actually happened to his father and his own queen mother? For a moment he hoped that everything Xiao Guizi told him was a lie, but he also hoped that it was entirely the truth. He did not stop shaking, all the hair on his body stood up on its end, a slight chill penetrated his bone and marrow.

The candle in the Empress Dowager’s bedroom was still burning, it flickered continuously, making the paper on the window pane sometimes bright, sometimes dark. After a while, he heard the voice of a palace maid saying, “Empress Dowager, I have finished sewing.”

“Hmm,” Empress Dowager said, “Put this palace maid … palace maid’s body inside … inside the quilt sack.”

“Yes,” the palace maid said, “What about the eunuch’s body?”

The Empress Dowager angrily said, “I only told you to wrap the palace maid, why do you … do you care about any eunuch?”

“Yes!” the palace maid busily said. And then they heard the noise of something was dragged along the floor.

Kangxi was unable to show restraint any longer, he craned his neck to peep through the crack on the window, but all the cracks on the Empress Dowager’s bedroom window had been sealed with greased lime, not even a narrow slit existed. In the former days, he had heard Wei Xiaobao’s story about the trick and taboo of the nightwalker of the Jianghu, which was passed on by Mao Shiba along the way from Yangzhou to Beijing. Now, seeing the window was without any crack, which was what he had expected, immediately he moistened his finger with his saliva and lightly wet the window paper, exerting a light force on his finger, he made a tiny hole on the window without making the slightest bit of noise.

Through the hole he could see the embroidered screen on the Empress Dowager’s bed was hanging low, a young palace maid was trying to stuff a body on the ground into a big cloth sack. The corpse was wearing palace maid attire, but the head was completely bald that it did not have even a single strand of hair. After stuffing the corpse into the sack, the palace maid picked up a wig from the floor. After hesitating for a moment, the palace maid also stuffed the wig into the sack; with a low voice she said, “Empress Dowager, I have finished … finished wrapping!”

The Empress Dowager said, “Have all the Imperial Bodyguards outside with drawn? I seem to hear some voices.”

The palace maid went to the door, looked out for a while, and then said, “There’s nobody outside.”

The Empress Dowager said, “Drag the sack to the lotus pond, put four large rocks into the sack, use … use string … (cough, cough) to tie the sack’s mouth, and then … and then … (cough, cough) push the sack into the pond.”

“Yes,” the palace maid replied, her voice trembled, obviously she was very afraid.

The Empress Dowager said, “After you push the sack into the pond, dig up a lot of dirt and toss it on top of the sack, don’t let anybody see it.”

“Yes,” the palace maid replied again, and then she dragged the sack out of the room and to the flower garden.

Kangxi thought, “Xiao Guizi said that that palace maid was a man, most likely he was right. If there was no huge secret surrounding this matter, why must the Empress Dowager sink the corpse into the pond to erase any trace of it?” Seeing Wei Xiaobao was standing by his side, he could not refrain from reaching out to grab his hand. Both of them felt the other’s hand was moist and cold.

A moment later they heard splashing noise as the sack containing the body fell into the lotus pond, followed by the sound of mud and dirt thrown into the pond. Another moment later the palace maid returned to the bedroom. Wei Xiaobao had already recognized her voice, she was Rui Chu, the little palace maid.

“Is everything done?” the Empress Dowager asked.

“Yes,” Rui Chu replied, “Everything is done.”

The Empress Dowager said, “There were originally two corpses in here, how come the other one suddenly disappear? If someone asks you tomorrow, how are you going to explain?”

Rui Chu said, “Your servant … your servant does not know anything.”

“You are serving me in here, how can you not know anything?” the Empress Dowager said.

“Yes, yes!” Rui Chu said.

“What do you mean ‘Yes, yes!’?” the Empress Dowager angrily said.

With a trembling voice Rui Chu said, “Your servant saw that dead palace maid stood up, turns out she was only injured, she did not die at all. She slowly … slowly walked out. That time … that time the Empress Dowager was sleeping peacefully, your servant did not dare to alarm the Empress Dowager, I saw the palace maid walked out of the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, I don't know ... I don't know where she went."

The Empress Dowager sighed and said, "So that's what happened. Amitabha Buddha, she is not dead but walked out on her own. That's very good."

"Exactly," Rui Chu said, "Thank the Heaven and thank the Earth, she is not dead."

Kangxi and Wei Xiaobao waited a moment longer, the Empress Dowager did not speak anymore, she seemed to fall asleep; therefore, they quietly, step-by-step, left and returned to the Palace of Heavenly Purity. They saw the Imperial Bodyguards and eunuchs were still standing straight, motionless. Kangxi laughed and said, "Everybody can move as you wish!" Although he was laughing, the sound of his laughter and his speech was very dry and heavy.

Back to his bedroom, he fixed his gaze on Wei Xiaobao and did not say anything for a long time. Suddenly tears flowing down his face, he said, "Turns out Empress Dowager ... Empress Dowager ..." Wei Xiaobao was at a loss of what to say.

Kangxi thought for a moment longer, then he clapped his hands, two Imperial Bodyguards appeared on the bedroom door. Kangxi said in a low voice, "I have a secret mission I want the two of you to do, but you must never leak it out. There is a large sack in the lotus pond in the garden of the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, I want the two of you to bring it here. The Empress Dowager is sleeping peacefully, if you two make the least bit of noise and awaken the Empress Dowager, you will lose your own heads." The two guards bowed in compliance and left. Kangxi was still sitting on his bed, silently pondering everything over and over in his head.

A good half a day[2] later, finally the two Imperial Bodyguards, lifting a dripping wet big cloth sack, came back outside the bedroom door.

"Did you wake up the Empress Dowager?" Kangxi asked.

The two Imperial Bodyguards replied together, "Your servants do not dare."

Kangxi nodded. "Bring it in!" he said. The two Imperial Bodyguards complied, they brought the cloth sack in. "You are dismissed!" Kangxi said.

Wei Xiaobao waited until the Imperial Bodyguards had left, and then he closed and bolted the door before untying the rope on the sack's mouth and dragging the corpse out. Although the corpse's face was clean-shaven, the hair roots were clearly visible. There was a lump on the corpse's throat, and its chest was flat, undoubtedly it was a male. The muscles on this man's entire body were bulging, his knuckles were protruding, a sure sign of someone who had an extensive training in martial art. Apparently this man masquerade a palace maid in the Palace only recently, otherwise, with this kind of appearance, which was ugly even for a man, how could he masquerade as a palace maid and not being discovered?

Kangxi drew out his yaodao and cut open the man's pants. After taking a glance, his anger rose; brandishing his saber repeatedly, he chopped the part between the corpse's loins into a pulp.

Wei Xiaobao said, "The Empress Dowager ..."

"What Empress Dowager?" Kangxi angrily said, "That s1ut forced my Fu Huang to leave, murdered my mother, defiled the imperial court with illicit sexual relations, and did many injustice. I ... I want to cut her body into ten thousand pieces and execute her whole family unto the third generation."

Wei Xiaobao heaved a deep sigh; immediately he felt relieved, "The Emperor no longer recognize her as the Empress Dowager, whatever bad things that old wh0re has done, I know everything, he can't possibly kill me to shut my mouth."

Kangxi raised his saber and hacked the corpse several more times, momentarily his indignation was difficult to endure. He was thinking of sending some Imperial Bodyguards to detain and interrogate the Empress Dowager, but then he had a second thought, "Fu Huang is not dead, but became a monk on Mount Wutai; this is a very important matter. As soon as this information leaks out, it will create quite a sensation among the officers and common people of the world. I must not act recklessly." Thereupon he said, "Xiao Guizi, early tomorrow morning, I will go with you to Mount Wutai to verify the truth."

"Yes!" Wei Xiaobao replied. He was extremely delighted. Traveling together with the Emperor, going to Mount Wutai was definitely more fun than being stifled in Beijing.

But Kangxi's knowledge, experience and understanding was far above Wei Xiaobao's, after a careful consideration, he immediately remembered that when the Emperor was going on an inspection tour, it was an extremely grand occasion, which would require at least several months of preparations. Along the way, hundreds of government officials must be prepared to welcome and protect the Emperor; it would be a lot of trouble, he could not simply go whenever he wanted to. He also remembered his own young age, he had not taken over the government for too long, the princes, dukes, and the ministers of the imperial court had not submitted to him yet; if the Empress Dowager seized the opportunity while he was out of the Capital to seize the government and usurp power, he should consider that she might oust him and set up another ruler in his place. Moreover, if his father emperor was in fact dead, or perhaps he was still alive, but was no longer on Mount Wutai, while with much fanfare he went up the mountain to seek an audience, but failed to see the old Emperor, not only he would be the laughingstock of all the people in the world, but he would be ridiculed by the later generations as well.

---

[1] Yaodao is actually a type of saber commonly used by government official. The word ‘dao’ itself means ‘saber’. Following Pokit’s example in ‘Smiling Proud Wanderer’, I repeat the word ‘saber’ just to clarify it.

[2] I thought I'd better clarify this: two paragraph above (...did not say anything for a long time), the original character was 良久 (liang jiu), hence I translated it as 'a long time'; in this paragraph, however, the original was 好半晌 (hao ban shang). I'll leave it to your own discretion whether you want to interpret it as a literal 12-hour period or not. Just FYI, when Jin Yong meant specific period of time, he usually used 'sichen', or something like 'the time needed to eat rice' or 'burning incense stick' or something like that.

[foxs]

After thinking for a while, he shook his head and said, "It's no good, I can't casually leave the Capital. Xiao Guizi, you must go for me."

Wei Xiaobao was quite disappointed, "I must go alone?" he asked.

"You must go alone," Kangxi said, "Wait until we investigate clearly that Fu Huang is indeed on Mount Wutai, I will fix a good way to deal with that s1ut in the Capital, then the two of us will go up the mountain together. It's a completely safe plan."

Wei Xiaobao thought that since the Emperor already decided to deal with the Empress Dowager, he could not easily decline to go alone to Mount Wutai for an inquiry. "Alright," he said, "I'll go to Mount Wutai."

Kangxi said, "According to our Great Qing's customs, an eunuch cannot leave the Capital unless he is accompanying me. It's good that you are actually not a court eunuch. Xiao Guizi, later on you won't be a eunuch anymore, you'd better be an Imperial Bodyguard. However, everybody in the Palace has already known you, if you suddenly cease to be an eunuch, they will feel strange. Um, I can declare to the people that in order to capture Oboi, you received my order to disguise yourself as a eunuch. Now that the prime criminal has been eliminated, naturally the masquerade cannot continue. Xiao Guizi, in the future you must study a bit, I will appoint you as a high-ranking official."

"That's nice!" Wei Xiaobao said, "But I have a headache as soon as I see a book. I will study a little bit less, then you can appoint me as a little bit lower-ranking official."

Kangxi sat in front of the table, he raised his writing brush and started to write a letter to his father the Emperor: he reported clearly that he had been unfilial, that only today he learned that Fu Huang was still alive, that his heart was unusually happy, that he would go up the mountain in the next few days to respectfully welcome the Emperor's holy self back to the Palace, to again manage the ten thousand affairs of the state, while the son would also receive a parent’s favor once again. But after thinking several more lines of characters, he suddenly thought, “If this letter fell into a wrong hand, it would be greatly inappropriate. If Xiao Guizi got captured or even killed, this letter could be found by others.”

He took the sheet with half a page already written, and burned it over the flame of the candle, and then he took up his writing brush and wrote: “Imperial edict: the Imperial Bodyguard Deputy Chief Wei Xiaobao, hereby being granted by the Emperor himself to wear Yellow Magua[1], is being sent to visit the Wutai Mountain region on official business. Various provinces’ civil and military officials are ordered to give assistance. By the Emperor himself.” Finished writing, he affixed the imperial seal and handed it over to Wei Xiaobao, saying with a laugh, “Now you are an officer, take a look, what officer are you?”

Wei Xiaobao opened his eyes wide, but all he could recognize was his own name, the character ‘five’ [‘wu’ from wutai], ‘one’ [‘yi’ from ‘yidai’ – region], and ‘civil’ [‘wen’ from ‘wenwu’ - civil and military], six characters altogether. But he only recognized the character ‘wei’ and ‘bao’ of his name simply because they came on either side of the character ‘xiao’, if they were standing alone, he would not have recognized them. He shook his head and said, “I don’t know what officer. It is personally appointed by Your Majesty, so it can’t be a petty official, can it?”

Kangxi laughed and read the imperial order. Wei Xiaobao stuck out his tongue and said, “It’s Deputy Chief of the Imperial Bodyguards; awesome, awesome! And I get to wear the Yellow Magua?”

Kangxi smiled and said, “Although Dolong is the Chief, he does not get to wear the Yellow Magua. If you handle this assignment well, when you return to the Palace I will promote your official position. It’s just that you are still too young, if your position is too high, it would be too unseemly. We’ll do it slowly.”

“High-ranking or low-ranking official, I don’t care,” Wei Xiaobao said, “As long as I can be with you frequently, it would be very good.”

Kangxi was both happy and sad, he said, “You must be very careful, your mission is top secret, if not absolutely necessary, do not show this imperial edict to anybody. You may go now!”

Wei Xiaobao bade Kangxi farewell, he saw a streak of marble white color of the dawn on the eastern horizon. He returned to his residence, quietly opened the door and came in. Fang Yi had not slept at all. “You are back,” she said happily.

“Everything is fine[2],” Wei Xiaobao said, “We can leave the Palace now.”

Mu Jianping woke up in a daze, “Shijie was very anxious,” she said, “She was afraid you ran into danger.”

Wei Xiaobao smiled and asked, “What about you?”

“Of course I was worried too,” Mu Jianping said, “Are you alright?”

“I am alright, I am alright,” Wei Xiaobao replied.

They heard the noise of activities, the Palace gates were opened, one after another the civil and military officials entered the Palace to wait for the morning court. Wei Xiaobao lighted the candle on the table, he examined the two girls’ attire and did not find any flaw; he laughed and said, “The two of you are too pretty, you need to rub some dirt on your face.” Mu Jianping was somewhat reluctant, but seeing Fang Yi reached down to the ground to get some dirt and rubbed it on her face, she followed suit.

Wei Xiaobao put the three copies of sutra he snatched from under the Empress Dowager’s bed into his bundle. He took the silver hairpin from his pocket and handed it over to Fang Yu, saying, “Is this the hairpin you were looking for?”

Fang Yi blushed, she slowly held out her hand to take it, saying, “You are willing to brave danger, it was to … was to fetch this hairpin of mine.” Her heart was touched, her eyes turned red, she turned her head to look another way.

Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, “It’s not that dangerous.” While in his heart he said, “This is called ‘good deed has its own reward’. If I did not go to get this hairpin, I would not get to wear the Yellow Magua.”

He took the two people toward the back of the imperial city and left the Palace via the Shen Wu Gate. By this time the sky had not brightened, the Imperial Bodyguards at the gate only saw Gui Gong-gong with two little eunuch companions going out of the Palace. Other than uttering some flattering words, who would dare to ask a single question?

After leaving the Palace for a dozen of zhang or so, Fang Yi turned her head around to look back at the Palace gate, all sorts of feelings welled up in her heart, everything she underwent seemed to happen a lifetime ago.

On the street, Wei Xiaobao hired three sedan chairs, he told the porters to go westward toward the Chang’an Street, where they alighted and took another small sedan chair to Tian Di Hui, about two streets away, where they finally got off. He said, “Your Mu Palace friends have all left the city yesterday. I must consult my friends to see where we must send you.” After being bestowed the title Imperial Bodyguard Deputy Chief wearing Yellow Magua, he was conscious that he had become a grownup, moreover, he was under an imperial edict on mission to investigate an enormously important matter, suddenly he felt like he must shed the glib-tongue way he used to talk. Besides, his Shifu was not far away, he did not dare to act wantonly.

Fang Yi asked, “You … where are you going?”

“I do not dare to stay in Beijing much longer,” Wei Xiaobao said, “I must go, the farther the better. I must wait until the Empress Dowager is dead, all is calm, then I will dare to come back.”

“We have good friends in Shijiazhuang, Hebei,” Fang Yi said, “If you … if you don’t look down on us, why don’t you … why don’t you come with us to temporarily make yourself scarce?”

“That’s right,” Mu Jianping said, “You are the benefactor who saved our lives, you are one of us. If the three of us travel together, it will be somewhat more fun.” The two of them looked at him with hopeful eyes. Mu Jianping looked naïve and earnest, but Fang Yi looked shy.

If Wei Xiaobao did not bear an important mission, accompanying two beautiful women on a long journey would, by far, be more interesting, would be extremely free and unfettered; but this moment he had no choice but would have to think of a way to make an excuse. He said, “I promised a friend to handle a very important matter for him, I cannot go to Shijiazhuang at this time. Both of you are injured, it would be inconvenient for two young ladies to hasten on with your journey. I will ask one or two reliable friends to escort you to go first. Let us rest for a while, eat until we are full, then we can talk it over slowly.”

Presently they arrived at Tian Di Hui’s lodging. As soon as the brother guarding outside the lane saw that it was him, he quickly led them in. Gao Yanchao went out to greet them; he was very surprised to see he was accompanied by two little eunuchs. Wei Xiaobao whispered in his ear, “It’s the Mu family’s Xiao Gongye’s sister, the other one is her Shijie. I saved them out of the Palace.”

Gao Yanchao invited the two ladies to take a seat in the hall and served them tea. He pulled Wei Xiaobao to the side and said, “Zongduozhu has left the Capital last night.”

Wei Xiaobao was delighted; first, he was most afraid Shifu would inquire about the progress of his martial art training, second, he was not sure whether he should confide with Shifu about Kangxi’s order. Hearing Shifu had already left the Capital, it was as if a large rock was lifted off of his mind. But on his face he showed an utmost disappointment. He stomped his foot and said, “This … this … this … Ay, why did Shifu have to leave so quickly?”

Gao Yanchao said, “Zongduozhu instructed subordinate to inform Wei Xiangzhu that he, Senior, suddenly received an urgent report from Taiwan, and must hurry back there to handle the matter. Zongduozhu wanted Wei Xiangzhu to be very careful, to act as circumstances dictate. If it is inconvenient for you to stay at the Palace, you must leave the Capital to escape temporarily. He also said he wanted Wei Xiangzhu to diligently train martial art. He was wondering if the poison inside Wei Xiangzhu’s body has been completely cleared up, if you feel something is not right in your body, you are to let Zongduozhu know immediately.”

“Yes,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Shifu keeps thinking about my injury and martial art training, I am deeply grateful.” It was not a false statement, hearing in his rush Shifu was still thinking about his well-being, he was deeply touched. “What happened in Taiwan?” he asked.

Gao Yanchao replied, “I heard the mother and son of the Zheng family are at odds with each other; they killed a minister, probably there is an internal strife. Zongduozhu has quite a prestige, whatever the turmoil over there, he, the Senior, will be able to settle it as soon as he arrives, Wei Xiangzhu does not need to be anxious. Li Dage, Guan Fuzi, Fan Dage, Feng Dage, Priest Xuanzhen, and the others are coming with Zongduozhu. Xu San Ge and subordinate are staying in the Capital to wait for Wei Xiangzhu’s orders.”

Wei Xiaobao nodded and said, “Get someone to invite Xu San Ge over.” He thought, “Not only the ‘Eight-arm Ape’ Xu Tianchuan has superior martial art skill, he is very astute, and is an old man. No one is better than him to escort these two ladies to Shijiazhuang.” He also thought, “The mother and son in Taiwan are at odds with each other and killed people. They are no different than the Empress Dowager and the Emperor in Beijing.”

He returned to the hall to eat some noodles and dimsum with Fang and Mu, two girls. Mu Jianping ate less than half a bowl of noodles, she could not bear not to ask, “Are you sure you can’t come with us to Shijiazhuang?”

Wei Xiaobao cast a glance toward Fang Yi; she stopped her chopstick and she stopped to eat. She was looking down, but her eyes were filled with earnest hope. Wei Xiaobao could not restrain his heart from burning; he really wished he could take these two girls with him to Mount Wutai, but immediately thought better: “What kind of important mission am I in? Taking these two injured young ladies will be a hindrance and will draw unnecessary attention, which absolutely must not happen.” Thereupon he sighed and said, “After my business is done, I will come to Shijiazhuang to visit. Where does your friend live? What’s his name?”

Fang Yi slowly lowered her head and pinched a string of noodle with her chopsticks, but did not put it in her mouth; she said in a low voice, “That friend opened a mule and horse dealership at the Shijiazhuang’s western market. He is called the ‘Fast Horse’ Song San [lit. Song the third].”

“Fast Horse Song San, got it,” Wei Xiaobao said, “I will definitely come to visit you.” Suddenly a mischievous look appeared on his face, as he casually said, “How can I not come? How can I give up this pair of ‘bashful flower obstructing the moon’ first wife and second wife?”

Mu Jianping laughed and said, “You have been well-behaved only for less than half a day, and you are back to your flippant and glib-tongued way already?”

Fang Yi firmly said, “If you really regard us as your good friends, we … we will hope for your visit every day. But if you are being frivolous and won’t respect others, you … you don’t need to come.”

Wei Xiaobao had bumped into a nail; he only felt the fun had been lost. “Alright,” he said, “If you don’t like to banter, I won’t say anything at all.”

Fang Yi was somewhat apologetic, she said in a gentle voice, “Even bantering has its own propriety, its own time, and its own place. You … are you angry?”

Wei Xiaobao cheered up, he quickly said, “No, no. As long as you are not angry, I am fine.”

Fang Yi laughed, and then gently said, “Toward you, nobody can be really angry.”

Fang Yi was smiling so sweetly that even though her face was smeared with dirt, her beauty was very difficult to cover. Wei Xiaobao immediately felt a burst of warmth going through his body, he ate mouthful by mouthful of noodle soup and temporarily could not find anything to say.

Suddenly they heard footsteps in the courtyard, an old man walked in, Xu Tianchuan had arrived. He went straight to Wei Xiaobao and bowed to pay his respect, there was only happiness across his face, as he respectfully said, “How are you, Senior?” He was being very discreet, seeing there were outsiders present, he did not address Wei Xiaobao as ‘Wei Xiangzhu’.

Wei Xiaobao cupped his fist to return the salute and said with a laugh, “Xu San Ge, let me present to you two friends. These two are ‘Iron Back Blue Dragon’ Liu Laoyezi’s distinguished disciples. This one is Miss Fang, this one is Miss Mu, she is Mu Palace’s Xiao Junzhu.” To Fang and Mu, two girls he said, “This is Xu San Ge, he is acquainted with Liu Laoyezi and your family’s Xiao Gongye.” He was afraid Fang and Mu, two ladies still harbor a grudge, so he quickly added, “At first there was a tiny bit of grudge between them, but presently the resentment has been resolved.” After the three of them had exchanged propriety, he said, “Xu San Ge, I have a favor I’d like to ask you.”

Hearing that these two women who were disguised as little eunuchs were unexpectedly important personage of the Mu Palace, Xu Tianchuan thought that since Mu Jiansheng and the others already knew Wei Xiaobao’s real identity, naturally these two young ladies were also well-informed of the fact; thereupon he said, “Whatever Wei Xiangzhu wishes to send me, subordinate will accept your orders.”

But Fang Yi and Mu Jianping did not know Wei Xiaobao’s real identity. Hearing Xu Tianchuan addressed him as ‘Wei Xiangzhu’, they were greatly surprised.

Wei Xiaobao smiled and said, “These two young ladies had the same fate as Wu Lishen, Wu Laoyezi, and Liu Yizhou Liu Dage, they had fallen into the enemy’s hands inside the Imperial Palace; they came out just now. Have Mu Family’s Xiao Gongye, Liu Yizhou Shixiong and the others left the Capital?”

Xu Tianchuan said, “Numerous heroes of the Mu Palace have left the Capital safely yesterday. Mu Xiao Gongye also asked me to make discreet inquiry on Xiao Junzhu’s whereabouts. I asked him to set his heart at ease, since he has entrusted this matter to Tian Di Hui, we will definitely find Xiao Junzhu.” While saying that, there was a hint of smile on his face.

Mu Jianping asked, “So Liu Shige is with my Gege?” She asked that question on Fang Yi’s behalf.

Xu Tianchuan replied, “Zaixia sent them off out of town separately. Liu Shixiong went with Liu Laoyezi, they were heading south.” Fang Yi blushed as she lowered her head.

Wei Xiaobao thought, “Hearing your sweetheart is out of danger, your heart must be in full bloom.” Little did he know that this time his guess could not be more wrong. The thought in Fang Yi’s mind was: “I gave him my words that if he saved Liu Shige’s life, I would marry him and be his wife, and will be steadfast to the death. But he is a court eunuch, how can I marry him? He is very young, but can pull a hundred tricks. What’s this ‘Wei Xiangzhu’ business anyway?”

---

[1] Buttoned mandarin jacket of the Qing Dynasty.

[2] Orig. ‘ten thousand matters are greatly propitious’.

[foxs]

Wei Xiaobao said, “These two young ladies strenuously fought the Imperial Bodyguards in Qing Palace, and have suffered injuries. Presently they want to go to a friend’s house in Shijiazhuang to recuperate from their wounds. I am thinking of asking Xu San Ge to accompany them.”

Xu Tianchuan was delighted, “I ought to serve in this capacity,” he said, “Wei Xiangzhu has given me a very good assignment. Subordinate has wronged the Mu Palace’s friends, but Mu Xiao Gongye has saved my life instead, I am very ashamed in my heart. If I can accompany these two young ladies to their destination safe and sound, I can somewhat repay one out of ten thousand kindness he had shown me.”

Mu Jianping cast Xu Tianchuan a glance, what she saw was a small and thin old man with a bent waist and a hunched back, someone who could give up his ghost any minute. He talked about escorting her and her older martial sister, perhaps along the way they would have to look after him instead. Much less Wei Xiaobao did not go, so she was already quite disappointed. She was unable to restrain the disappointment from appearing on her face.

But Fang Yi said, “In all honesty, we do not dare to trouble Xu Laoyezi’s honorable self, we only asked you to hire a large carriage for us, and then we will be off on our own. Our injuries are nothing serious; you really do not need to take the trouble.”

Xu Tianchuan laughed and said, “Miss Fang does not need to be too polite. Wei Xiangzhu has already issued the order, whatever happens I simply must accompany you. Both ladies are exceptionally skilful in martial arts, you really do not need an old man incurring your dislike on the side. This old man really does not have the ability to do this ‘accompany’ word. But I can run errands and do odd jobs like serving the ladies in finding an inn to stay, waiting on you for a snack during the journey, hiring carriage, buying stuffs, and do all kinds of tricks, so that along the way the ladies do not need to waste your time to deal with characters like mule dealer, carriage driver, inn waiters, shop attendants.”

Seeing she could not decline anymore, Fang Yi said, “We don’t know how to repay Xu Laoyezi’s great kindness.”

Xu Tianchuan laughed aloud. “What is there to repay?” he said, “I am telling the two ladies the truth: my admiration towards our Wei Xiangzhu shows no bound. Don’t look at his young age; in reality, he has an extensive divine ability. Not only he has saved my old life, just yesterday he helped this old man vented my anger. I was just thinking in my heart, how can I handle several matters for him to express my gratitude, who would have thought that today he is sending me on an assignment? Even if the two ladies do not allow me to accompany you, this old man will have no choice but be tactful; I will precede you on your journey to manage your trip, to open a way when you come across a mountain, to build a bridge when you meet a river, to wait upon you until you arrived at Shijiazhuang safe and sound. Let’s not mention from Beijing to Shijiazhuang is only a few days journey, even if Wei Xiangzhu ordered the old man to follow the two ladies all the way to Yunnan, I will simply go, I will accompany you to your destination.”

Mu Jianping noticed that although his appearance looked wretched, his speech was actually very charming. “What anger he helped you vent yesterday?” she asked, “Yesterday, he … was he not in the Imperial Palace?”

Xu Tianchuan laughed and said, “That traitor Wu Sangui has a dog official under his command called Lu Yifeng. He kidnapped the old man, beat me up and insulted me; he also took a medicated plaster and stuck it on my mouth. Luckily your esteemed older brother sent people to save me and take me out. Wei Xiangzhu promised me that he would have someone break this dog official’s legs. I thought that this time Wu Sangui’s dog son came to Beijing, the number of capable people he brought along must be very great. Last time that servant Lu Yifeng has suffered some trouble from me, he would know better than to go out alone, it would not be easy for us to seek revenge. Who would have known that at the Zhong De Tang [lit. Hall of Virtue Cultivation] drugstore of the western town district yesterday I met a doctor friend specializing in external injury, who mentioned that the Ping Xi Wang dog den was sending people out, carrying a dog official everywhere to find an injury doctor. I found this matter to be really strange, they went to see injury doctors one after another; a total of twenty, thirty doctors, but they did not let those doctors to treat him. They only told the doctors that this dog official was called Lu Yifeng, a muddleheaded scoundrel. Ping Xi Wang’s dog son personally took a stick and broke both of his dog legs, and wanted him to suffer the pain for seven days and seven nights, without allowing him to be treated.”

Fang Yi and Mu Jianping were completely baffled; they asked Wei Xiaobao, “Where’s the logic in that?”

“That dog official has offended Xu San Ge,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “Naturally we want him to suffer a lot of pain.”

Mu Jianping asked, “Why did the Ping Xi Wang dog den’s people bring him everywhere to let everyone know?”

“That kid Wu Yingxiong wanted people to pass the news to me,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “I told him to break that dog official’s legs, he wanted me to know that he has completed the task.”

Mu Jianping was even more puzzled, “Why did he obey you?” she asked.

With a smile Wei Xiaobao replied, “I was just talking rubbish, I lied to him and he believed me.”

Xu Tianchuan said, “Originally I wanted him to die a horrible death, but then I thought that this dog official was being carried around like a prisoner being paraded through the streets, with his legs broken without he was allowed to seek treatment; it would be too easy for that servant if I killed him. Yesterday afternoon I finally saw him with my own eyes, 9 out of 10 of that dog's life has gone, his pants were rolled up, exposing his two broken legs, swelling and purple. He was so much in pain that he cried, calling on his mommy. Ladies, won't you say it gives this old man reason to be delighted?"

By this time Gao Yanchao had returned with three large hired carriages, waiting outside the door. He was also a competent member of Tian Di hui, but according to the Society's law - a violation of this law was punishable by beheading, if it was not absolutely necessary, the less they reveal their true colors the better. Therefore, he did not appear before Fang and Mu, two ladies.

Wei Xiaobao deliberately considered, "In my bundle I have a total of five copies of 'Forty-two-chapter Sutra', I do not have the slightest idea what these books are for, but there were so many people staking their lives to steal and rob these books, so there must be a great reason behind it. If I bring them along while I am hastening on with my journey, I might lose them." After pondering for half a day, he finally found a solution. He called Gao Yanchao over and spoke to him quietly, "Gao Dage, I had a good brother in the Palace who was killed by the Tatars' Imperial Bodyguards. I brought his ash out to give him a proper burial, could you send someone to buy a coffin?"

Gao Yanchao complied. He assumed that since Wei Xiangzhu's good friend was killed by the Tatars, he must be a patriot in the resisting Qing movement, thereupon he personally selected a top quality coffin made of Liuzhou wood. He knew that this Wei Xiangzhu was really extravagant, from the three hundred taels given to him, he still had more than thirty taels, so other than the coffin, he also bought some burial clothes, earthen jar for the ashes, lime, silk paper, oilcloth, spirit tablet, spirit banner, ritual paper money, and everything else needed for burial; all were top quality products. He also bought several sets of men's clothing, shoes and hats for Fang and Mu, two ladies, to change into, as well as dry rations, cake and pastries for the journey. He also ordered a coroner and a lacquerer. By the time all the goods were delivered, Wei Xiaobao and the two ladies had already been asleep for four hours.

Preceding the others, Wei Xiaobao changed into an ordinary man's attire. He mused, "I am on a mission to Mount Wutai on an imperial order, I might be very busy, how can I find time to train martial art? I must not let Shifu's martial art manual to be stolen." Thereupon he wrapped the five copies of the sutra along with his Shifu's manual inside layer upon layer of oilcloth completely and tightly. And then he went to the kitchen to get a big handful of firewood ash and put it inside the earthen jar, thinking, "It would be best if there was a real corpse inside the coffin, so that even if someone opens the coffin to look, there won't be any suspicion. But in such a short period of time, I can't find a bad person to kill." Therefore, he took some water and wiped it on his eyes and face, and then with a sorrowful expression he went to the rear hall, holding the oil cloth package and the urn of ashes with both hands. He put the oil cloth package and the urn of ashes in the coffin, and then he knelt down and cried loudly.

Xu Tianchuan, Gao Yanchao, as well as Fang and Mu, two ladies, were waiting in the main hall. Seeing him kneeling down and weeping bitterly, there was no suspicion in their hearts, they thought it was definitely his good friend's ashes; they also kneeled down to pay their respects.

Wei Xiaobao had seen how the deceased' family members returning propriety during a funeral service, he scrambled to the side of the coffin and kneeled down and kowtowed to return the four people's respect. In a moment the coroner placed the silk paper, lime and other things in the coffin, and nailed the coffin's lid. The lacquerer then began painting.

Gao Yanchao asked, "What is the patriot's honored surname and great name? It would be better if we paint his title on the coffin."

"He ... he ... he ..." Wei Xiaobao was sobbing and sniffling continuously, while his mind was churning; he said, "His name was Shi Guidong." That is, Shi Song, Xiao Guizi and Rui Dong, three people's names put together; he thought, "I killed the three of you, right now I am kowtowing to you and burning some ritual paper money for your use in the netherworld. Shouldn't your wronged ghosts stop entangling me now?"

Seeing how bitter he was crying, Mu Jianping tried to console him, "Manchurian Qing Tatars killed our good friends; there will come a day we will kill them all, to avenge and wipe out the grudge of our good friends."

Still crying, Wei Xiaobao said, "Naturally the Tatars must be killed, but this good friend's enmity absolutely cannot be avenged."

Mu Jianping opened wide her pair of beautiful eyes; she looked at him in a daze while thinking, "Why not?"

The four of them rested for a while, then they took their leave from Gao Yanchao. Wei Xiaobao said, "Let me send you off for a while." A happy expression appeared on Fang and Mu, two women's faces.

The two women rode on a large carriage, Wei Xiaobao and Xu Tianchuan separately took the other two carriages. The three carriages left from the Eastern Gate. After traveling eastwards for several li, they turned south. Seven or eight li later, they arrived in a small town at the outskirt of Beijing. Xu Tianchuan ordered the carriages to stop, he said, "Sending off the lord for a thousand li, in the end we must part. The day is no longer early, we will drink some tea in here and then take our separate way!"

They entered a roadside teahouse, the shop attendants promptly served them tea. The three carriage drivers sat on another table.

Xu Tianchuan assumed Wei Xiangzhu and his two companions would certainly have some personal matters they need to discuss; with hands behind his back he strolled out to enjoy the scenery.

Mu Jianping said, "Gui ... Gui Dage, you are actually surnamed Wei, aren't you? And what is a Xiangzhu?"

Wei Xiaobao laughed. "I am surnamed Wei," he said, "Given name Xiaobao; I am the Xiangzhu of Green Wood Hall of Tian Di Hui. This moment I can't no longer conceal it from the two of you."

"Ay!" Mu Jianping sighed.

"Why did you sigh?" Wei Xiaobao asked.

"You are the Xiangzhu of Green Wood Hall of Tian Di Hui," Mu Jianping said, "How did ... how did you become a court eunuch in the Palace? Isn't that ... isn't that ..."

Fang Yi knew that she was going to say 'such a pity', but first, it was rather improper for her to say it out loud, second, she did not want to arouse Wei Xiaobao's downheartedness; and thus she interrupted, "For the sake of our country's great cause, a hero and warrior does not hesitate to humiliate himself, indeed he is worthy of our complete admiration." She presumed Wei Xiaobao must have received Tian Di Hui's order to mutilate his own body and entered the Palace to be an undercover agent; he was definitely worthy of other people's admiration.

Wei Xiaobao showed a faint smile; "Shall I tell them that I am not a eunuch?" he mused.

Suddenly they heard Xu Tianchuan shouted, "Good friend, you still don't want to reveal your true colors until now?" He stretched out his hand to strike the shoulder of a carriage driver on the right.

Xu Tianchuan's right palm was just about to land on the carriage driver's shoulder, the carriage driver leaned sideways, Xu Tianchuan's right palm hit an empty air, but his left fist had already reached the carriage driver's right waist. The carriage driver flipped his hand to pull and push, and thus redirected the fist outwards. Xu Tianchuan then brought his right elbow to strike the back of the driver's neck. The carriage driver raised his right hand to feign a strike on the crown of Xu Tianchuan's head. If Xu Tianchuan continued his elbow strike toward the driver's neck, then it was as if he was delivering the top of his own head toward the man's palm. Immediately he exerted his strength on his feet and leaped backward. Altogether he had launched three moves: a palm strike, a punch and an elbow strike, all were delivered using a very swift and fierce technique, but unexpectedly the carriage driver was able to neutralize each move without too much trouble.

Xu Tianchuan was startled and angered at the same time; he expected this man to be a martial art expert from the Imperial Palace, who was acting under orders to arrest them. Immediately he waved his left hand to signal Wei Xiaobao, three people, to run away quickly, while he himself entangled the enemy to give the three people an opportunity to get away. But how could those three forego yi qi? Fang Yi was injured, it would be difficult for her to fight. Wei Xiaobao and Mu Jianping drew their weapons and rushed forward in a converging attack.

The carriage driver turned around and said with a laugh, "The Eight-armed Ape has good eyesight!" His voice was rather sharp. The four of them saw that his face was yellow and swollen, his clothes were filthy, his overall appearance was ugly; momentarily they could not tell his age.

Hearing him calling his nickname, Xu Tianchuan was even more shocked; he cupped his fist and said, "Who are you, honored sir? Why do you impersonate a carriage driver and play tricks on Zaixia?"

The carriage driver said with a laugh, "I would never dare to play tricks. Zaixia and Wei Xiangzhu are good friends, knowing that he is leaving the Capital, I have come to send him off."

Wei Xiaobao scratched his head, “I … I can’t remember seeing you,” he said.

The carriage driver laughed and said, “Last night the two of us joined hands to fight a powerful enemy, how can you forget?”

Wei Xiaobao suddenly saw the light, “Ah,” he exclaimed, “You … you are Tao … Tao …” He inserted the dagger back into his boot, and rushed forward to pull her hand; only now did he know that the carriage driver was Tao Gong’e in disguise.

Tao Gong’e applied paste of butter, water and starch on her face, so it was difficult for others to know whether she was happy or angry, but her eyes were shining with delight as she said, “I was afraid the Tatars would send people to stop you, and thus I disguise myself to escort you for a while, unexpectedly Xu Laoyezi has a keen vision, I can’t deceive his eyes.”

Looking at Wei Xiangzhu’s expression, Xu Tianchuan knew this person was a friend and not a foe; he was delighted, but also ashamed. He cupped his fist and said, “Honored Sir’s martial art is superb, my admiration, my admiration! Wei Xiangzhu karma's is good, he always makes friends with martial art experts everywhere.”

Tao Gong’e laughed and said, “I don’t dare! May I ask Xu Dage, in my disguise, which part has revealed the flaw?”

"There was no flaw," Xu Tianchuan replied, "It's just that along the way I noticed the way honored sir waving the whip and urging the mule was unlike ordinary carriage driver. Honored sir did not move your wrist but the whip was extended very straight; you did not raise your elbow but the whip was pulled back immediately. I am afraid not too many friends among the carriage drivers in Beijing possess this kind of brilliant martial art." The five of them laughed heartily.

Xu Tianchuan continued with a laugh, "If Zaixia was more sensitive, seeing honored sir's martial art skill, I would not have dared to put out a hand to offend, it's just that this old man did not know what's good for me. I can't help it."

"Xu Dage has spoken discreetly," Tao Gong’e said, "I do not blame you at all."

Xu Tianchuan cupped his fist again. "I don't dare," he said, "May I know your honored surname and great given name?"

"This friend is surnamed Tao," Wei Xiaobao said, "With Xiongdi he has a ... a life and death friendship."

Tao Gong’e seriously said, "That's right, it's a life and death friendship. Wei Xiangzhu has saved my life."

Wei Xiaobao hurriedly said, "Why did Senior say that? We were cooperating to kill a scoundrel, that's all."

Tao Gong’e smiled. "Wei Xiongdi, Xu Dage, Fang and Mu, two ladies," she said, "I bid you farewell." Cupping her fist, she leaped onto the driver seat of a large carriage.

"Tao ... Tao Dage," Wei Xiaobao called, "Where are you going?"

Tao Gong’e laughed and said, "From the place I come, to that place I will return."

Wei Xiaobao nodded. "Very well," he said, "I hope to see you again later." Straight away she drove the large carriage without saying anything else.

"Xu Laoyezi," Mu Jianping asked, "Is that man's martial art skill really high?"

"Superb martial art!" Xu Tianchuan said, "What's more amazing is that she is a woman."

"She is a woman?" Mu Jianping asked in surprise.

Xu Tianchuan said, "When she leaped onto the carriage, she swayed her waist from side to side, no doubt the style looked good, but unavoidably it looked sissy; she is definitely a woman."

"Her voice is too high," Mu Jianping said, "It did not sound like a man's voice. Wei Dage, is her ... her original appearance attractive?"

[foxs]

"Forty years ago, perhaps she was attractive," Wei Xiaobao replied, "But forty years later, you will still be much more attractive than she is now."

Mu Jianping laughed and said, "How can you compare me to her? Turns out she is a granny."

Recalling that very soon he would have to leave them, Wei Xiaobao could not help but feeling sad. Thinking that he was about to embark on a journey alone, he could not help but was somewhat afraid. From Yangzhou to Beijing he was travelling together with Mao Shiba, a Jianghu veteran. In the Palace, although repeatedly running into danger, he knew almost everybody. In desperate moments, he often turned danger into safety by relying on his quick-wit. This time going to Mount Wutai in Shanxi, while admittedly he had never travelled this road before, what bothered him more was that he did not even know what the outcome of his mission would be. He had never travelled long distance alone; he was, after all, only a child, so it was hard for him to avoid feeling timid. For an instant he thought about going back to Beijing to ask Gao Yanchao to accompany him to Mount Wutai, but he remembered that this matter concerned Xiao Xuanzi's lot in life, if he let someone else know, he would be unfair to a good friend.

Xu Tianchuan only knew that Wei Xiaobao was going back to Beijing. "Wei Xiangzhu," he said, "It's getting late, please hurry back. If you are too late, I am afraid the city gate would have been closed."

"Yes," Wei Xiaobao replied.

Fang Yi and Mu Jianping said, "We hope after your business is done you would come to Shijiazhuang to see us. We will be waiting for you." Wei Xiaobao nodded, his heart was bitter-sweet, he could not say anything.

Xu Tianchuan invited the two women to get into the carriage, while he himself sat by the driver's side. The carriage started to move southwards. Wei Xiaobao saw Fang and Mu, two girls leaned out of the carriage and waved goodbye. The carriage travelled for about thirty zhang, then made a turn, and disappeared behind a row of red willow trees.

Wei Xiaobao mounted the remaining carriage. He ordered the driver to turn westward, not returning to Beijing. The carriage driver was somewhat hesitant, Wei Xiaobao took out ten taels of silver and said, "Ten taels to hire you three days, is it enough?"

The carriage driver was delighted; he busily said, "Ten taels is enough for even a month. Xiaode [the humble one, referring to self] will serve Master well; Master wants to go we'll go, Master wants to stop we'll stop."

That evening they stopped at a small town about twenty li southwest of Beijing, to rest and lodge for the night at a small family inn. Wei Xiaobao wiped his body and washed his feet; without waiting for dinner he lay down on the kang[1] and fell asleep.

When he woke up the next morning, he felt his head was about to crack, his eyes were heavy, he was not able to open it for a long time, his four limbs were even more limp and painful that he could move only with difficulty; it was as if he was in a nightmare. He wanted to shout, but nothing came out of his mouth. When he was finally able to open his eyes, he saw three men lying down on the floor. He was shocked and was only able to stare blankly for half a day. Calming himself down, he struggled to sit up, only to see someone was sitting in front of the kang, looking at him, smiling.

“Ah!” Wei Xiaobao exclaimed in surprise.

The person laughed and said, “Are you awake only now?” It was none other than Tao Gong’e.

Finally Wei Xiaobao was relieved. “Tao Jiejie, Tao Gugu[2], what … what happened?”

Tao Gong’e laughed and said, “Look, who are these three people?”

Wei Xiaobao crawled down from the kang, but his legs were soft, he fell kneeling down, but quickly sat up, then reaching out his hand for support, he managed to stand up. He saw the three people had already died for a while, but he did not recognize any of them. “Tao Gugu, did you save my life?”

Tao Gong’e laughed. “In the end, are you going to call me Jiejie, or Gugu?” she asked, “Just don’t call randomly, thus showing no respect for your elder.”

Wei Xiaobao also laughed. “You are Gugu, Tao Gugu!”

Tao Gong’e smiled and said, “You are traveling alone, next time you must be a bit more careful with what you eat and drink. If you were together with that eight-armed old monkey, you would not have fallen into these people’s trick.”

“Someone drugged me with knockout drug last night?” Wei Xiaobao asked.

“More or less,” Tao Gong’e replied.

Wei Xiaobao thought for a moment, then he said, “Most likely it was the tea, when I drank it, there was a bit of sour taste, and a bit of sweetness too.” He thought, “I myself have a big bundle of knockout drug on me, but I ate other people’s knockout drug. Damn it, if I did not have a taste of knockout drug this time, how would I know it tastes bitter-sweet?” He then asked, “Is this a ‘black inn[3]’?”

“This is actually a white inn,” Tao Gong’e replied, “But when you came in, it turned black.”

Wei Xiaobao was still having a splitting headache, he put out a hand to hold his forehead and said, "I don't understand that one."

Tao Gong’e said, "Not long after you entered the inn, there were other people came in, they tied up the shop owners, husband and wife, and the inn attendant, and turned this white inn into a black inn. One of the men took the attendant's clothes and put some medicine powder into the teapot and delivered it to you. I saw you were changing clothes; I thought I would wait until you finished changing before giving you a warning. Unexpectedly, other than changing clothes, you were also wiping your body. I waited for a moment before coming back, but you already drank the tea. Fortunately it was only knockout drug, not a poison."

Instantly Wei Xiaobao blushed from ear to ear; when he was wiping himself last night, he was fantasizing what would it feel like if Fang Yi really became his wife and he was embracing her tightly? At that time his emotion was surging, the situation was beyond his control. Although Tao Gong’e was not young anymore, she was, after all, a woman; looking at this kind of disgraceful situation from outside the window, naturally she could not bear to look too much.

Tao Gong’e said, "When we parted yesterday, I went back to the Palace, but I noticed inside and outside were peaceful without any commotion, there was no announcement about the death of the Empress Dowager, I felt very strange. After hurriedly changing my clothes, I went to the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful to look. I saw everything was as usual, turned out the Empress Dowager did not die. I know something was wrong. At first I thought the Empress Dowager had died, so the two of us can continue living in the Palace. But since last night we failed to kill her with a blade, we have no choice but must leave the Palace immediately. I wanted to rush over to tell you, so that you won't rush into the Palace and thus delivering your own life."

Wei Xiaobao pretended to be surprised. "Ah!" he exclaimed loudly, "Turns out the old wh0re did not die, it's very bad!" While in his heart he was ashamed, "In my haste yesterday, I forgot to mention this, I thought you already knew."

"I was just turning around to leave," Tao Gong’e continued, "I saw three Imperial Bodyguards walked out of the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful. Their action was sneaky, I thought the Empress Dowager must have sent them out to arrest me, but I noticed they were not heading toward my residence. I did not have time to pay them any more attention, I returned to my dwelling and packed up, I also changed clothes again, and slipped out of the Palace via the Catering Department's side door."

Wei Xiaobao smiled and said, "Turns out Gugu dressed up as a Catering Department's sula." [see Chapter 13] The Catering Department had always used a lot of sula for odd jobs like chopping firewood, carrying coals, killing chickens, washing vegetables, lighting the stove, washing pots and pans, and so on. Practically all low-grade works were performed by sula. These sula were able to go in and out of the Catering Department, very few people would pay them any attention.

Tao Gong’e said, "As soon as I left the Palace, I saw those three Imperial Bodyguards again. They have changed clothes, they carried a bundle on their backs and rode on horses, obviously they were on a long journey."

"Ah," Wei Xiaobao exclaimed, he stretched out his left foot to kick a corpse, saying, "They must be these three friends who opened the black inn?"

Tao Gong’e smiled and said, "Actually, I should thank these three friends. If they did not lead the way, how could I find you? Who could have thought that you detoured westward? They left the city via the western gate and asked around along the way, if anybody had seen a thirteen, fourteen years old boy traveling alone. They really did receive the Empress Dowager's order to get you. By the evening, they found this place, so I followed them here."

Wei Xiaobao was very grateful in his heart; he said, "If Gugu did not save me, by this time I can't even answer Yanluo Wang's [Yama, King of Hell] question. He would ask, 'Wei Xiaobao, how did you die?' I would have to answer, 'Reporting to the Great King: I am muddleheaded, and can't make head or tail of it!'"

Tao Gong’e had lived deep inside the Palace for decades, normally very seldom did she had a chance to talk to someone else. She found Wei Xiaobao's talk very amusing talk. "This kid!" she said with a laugh, "Yanluo Wang would surely say, 'Drag him down and beat him up!'"

Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, "But isn't it true? Lord Yanluo's beard would stick up, and he would shout, 'Being muddleheaded and can't make head or tail of it when you were alive is alright, how come after you die you are still muddleheaded? If all I have here are muddleheaded ghosts, won't I turn into muddleheaded Yanluo Wang?'" They both burst into loud laughter. "Gugu," Wei Xiaobao asked, "What happened next?"

Tao Gong’e said, "I heard them talking among themselves in low voice in the kitchen, one man said, 'The Empress Dowager's imperial order, it is best to capture this little demon alive, otherwise we can kill him with a slash of the saber; but the thing he has in his possession, we must bring it back at all cost, not a single one must be missed.' Another man said, 'This little demon dares to steal the Buddhist scripture the Empress Dowager reads every day, truly he is bored of living. No wonder the Empress Dowager is so angry. Empress Dowager instructed us that those several copies of scripture are the most important.' Xiao Xiongdi, did you really steal the Empress Dowager's Buddhist scripture? Your Zongduozhu ordered you to steal it, didn't he?" Saying that, she fixed her gaze on him without blinking.

Wei Xiaobao suddenly understood, "That's right, the object she was looking for in the Empress Dowager's bedroom must be those several copies of 'Forty-two-chapter Sutra'." But on his face he feigned a perplexed expression, "What Buddhist scripture?" he asked, "Our Zongduozhu does not worship Bodhisattva, I have never seen him reading any scripture."

Although Tao Gong’e's martial art skill was high, but since childhood she had lived in the Palace, toward the ways of the world she knew very little. Although both of them were of the same Palace, day in and day out Wei Xiaobao intermingled with the Emperor, Empress Dowager, princes and dukes, high-ranking ministers, Imperial Bodyguards and court eunuchs, he was always swaying back and forth among treacherous plots, so he had enough practice to be quick-witted; practically his entire body was his weapon. Tao Gong’e, on the other hand, only worked together with a couple of old palace maids, she did not even talk more than a couple of dozen sentences in a year, and she barely saw anybody else. In term of craftiness and resourcefulness, the difference between these two people was simply too far, it was even greater than the disparity between their respective martial art skill levels.

Seeing Wei Xiaobao's innocent expression, Tao Gong’e thought, "I have just saved his life, he must be very grateful to me, how can a little child like him tell a lie? Much less I have personally searched his belongings?" She nodded and said, "I saw them opening up your bundle and searched through it. They found a lot of jewels and several hundred thousand taels of banknotes, and were green with envy, so they talked it over how to share the booty. Upon hearing it, I was angry, so I came in and took care of them."

"Damn it," Wei Xiaobao cursed, "The old wh0re Empress Dowager knew about my wealth and sent some Imperial Bodyguards to murder me for my money, using the knockout drug and opening a black inn. That old wh0re is doing some lowly shady business, she not a good thing."

"I don't think it was her idea," Tao Gong’e said, "What the Empress Dowager wants is Buddhist scripture, not jewels or money. Those several copies of Buddhist scripture concern a matter of great importance. I was thinking, could it be possible that you gave those books to Xu Tianchuan and the two ladies to be brought to Shijiazhuang? Since the enemy has been eliminated, I thought I would let you rest for a while, so I rushed on horseback to the south to catch them up. I found their carriage outside an inn. I was thinking of searching quietly, but that man Eight-Armed Ape was very vigilant. As soon as I set my feet on the roof, he had already detected my presence. I can't tell him anything, so without any better option I fought him one more time."

"He is not your match," Wei Xiaobao said.

"I really did not want to offend your Tian Di Hui," Tao Gong’e said, "But I had no choice. After sealing his acupoint, I apologize to him profusely, I asked him not to be angry with me. Xiao Xiongdi, next time you see him, please tell him again that I am really sorry and had no choice. I went through those three people's luggage, I even searched through their carriage, but did not find anything, so I unsealed their acupoints and riding a horse, I rushed back here."

"Turns out while I was muddleheaded and did not know anything, you have done these many matters," Wei Xiaobao said, "Tao Gugu, how did you know I belong to Tian Di Hui?"

Tao Gong’e smiled and said, "I drove the carriage with you for half a day, how could I not hear what you were talking about? You are this young, yet have become the Green Wood Hall's Xiangzhu, in Tian Di Hui you are in charge of a very big responsibility, aren't you?"

Wei Xiaobao was very proud of himself. He laughed and said, "Indeed, it can't be considered small."

Tao Gong’e was lost in thought for half a day, then she asked, "You have been with the Emperor for a long time, have you ever heard him mentioning some Buddhist scripture?"

"He did," Wei Xiaobao replied, "The Emperor and Empress Dowager seem to hold this annoying Buddhist scripture in a very high regard. Actually, damn it, what's the use? The Empress Dowager is so bad that even if she chanted 'Amitabha Buddha' ten thousand times a day, Bodhisattva won't possibly bless her ..."

Without waiting for him to finish, Tao Gong’e busily asked, "What did they say, exactly?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "The Emperor sent me and Songgotu Daren to Oboi's mansion to take inventory of that criminal's confiscated property, he told me repeatedly that I must find two copies of some 'four' sutra. I think there is a 'two' character and perhaps a 'ten' character."

Tao Gong’e looked very excited. "Right, right!" she said, "It must be the 'Forty-two[4]-chapter Sutra'. Did you find it?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "I am totally illiterate, how would I know if it is 'Forty-two-chapter Sutra' or 'Fifty-three-chapter Sutra'? Later on Songgotu Daren found it and I gave both copies to the Empress Dowager. She was very happy, she rewarded me with many candy, cakes and pastries. Damn it, the old wh0re is really stingy. Instead of giving me gold or silver, she treated me as a child and deceived me, and only gave me candy, cakes and pastries. If I knew she was that bad, I would have thrown those two copies of sutra into the kitchen stove of the Catering Department, to be used as fuel to cook ..."

"Don't burn, don't burn!" Tao Gong’e hastily said.

Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, "I know I must not burn it; if the Emperor ask Songgotu Daren, my trickery would be exposed immediately."

Tao Gong’e muttered to herself, "If that's the case, the Empress Dowager has at least two copies of the 'Forty-two-chapter Sutra'?"

---

[1] A kang is a heatable brick bed common in northern China.

[2] Jiejie – older sister, Gugu – auntie, to be precise: paternal aunt.

[3] From the dictionary: 'black inn' is an inn that kills and robs guests (esp. in traditional fiction).

[4] In Chinese, 'forty-two' is written as 'four', 'ten' and 'two'.

[foxs]

"Perhaps she has four," Wei Xiaobao said.

"She has four?" Tao Gong’e said, "How ... how do you know?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "When I was hiding under her bed the other night, I overheard she mentioned to that man who was disguised as a woman that originally she had one copy, from Oboi's residence she got two copies, and then she sent the Deputy Chief of the Imperial Bodyguards Rui Dong to get another copy from some banner commander's office."

"That's correct," Tao Gong’e said, "It was from the Bordered Blue Banner's Banner Commander's office. So she has a total of four copies in her hand; perhaps she has more ... five, or six." She stood up and paced back and forth several paces before saying, "Those sutra are extremely important. Xiao Xiongdi, I do hope you can help me to steal those several copies of 'Forty-two-chapter Sutra' from the Empress Dowager."

Wei Xiaobao hesitated; he said, "In the event that the old wh0re's injury is heavy, eventually she won't live. I am afraid she might bring those sutra along in her coffin."

"That is unlikely to happen," Tao Gong’e said, "I am worried that the Jiaozhu [Cult Leader] of the Shen Long Jiao [Divine Dragon Cult] would make a move by acting swiftly and get there first, then it would be really bad."

It was the first time Wei Xiaobao had ever heard about the Cult Leader of the Divine Dragon Cult. "Who is that?" he asked.

Tao Gong’e did not answer. She was pacing around the room several times. The window paper gradually turned bright, soon the sun would shine. She turned around and said, "It's not convenient to talk in here, I am afraid the walls have ears. Let us go!" She carried the three dead bodies outside the inn and dumped them onto the carriage.

She killed those three men with a jolt of her heavy hand, they did not shed any blood at all, the corpses were clean. She said, "They tied the innkeeper and your cart driver, let them struggle free on their own." Sitting together with Wei Xiaobao on the driver seat, she drove the carriage westward.

Seven or eight li later, the sky had already brightened. Tao Gong’e tossed the corpses on a graveyard and piled large piece of rocks to cover them. Returning to the carriage, she said, "Riding on the carriage, we can talk while hastening on our journey, no need to fear someone is listening."

Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, "I wonder if someone is listening under the carriage."

Tao Gong’e was startled. "Right," she said, "Your thought is more thorough than mine." Brandishing the whip, she coiled the whip, 'Shua!' and struck the bottom of the carriage. Repeatedly she struck three times before she was convinced nobody was hiding underneath the carriage. She laughed and said, "I don't know anything about guarding against the bad act of the Jianghu people."

"Then I am worse than you are," Wei Xiaobao said, "You are always a step ahead of me, otherwise you wouldn't be able to save me last night."

By this time the carriage was traveling along a main road, all around them were quiet open space. Tao Gong’e slowly said, "You have saved my life, I have also saved your life. The two of us can be considered friends in times of tribulation, in life and death. Xiao Xiongdi, based on our age, I can be your mother, I can look after you and won’t abandon you, just call me your Gugu. Are you willing to consider me as your Gugu, you be my nephew?”

Wei Xiaobao thought, “I won’t lose anything by being a nephew, besides, I have already called her Gugu anyway.” Thereupon he hurriedly said, “That’s wonderful, but I have something really bad I need to tell you. I am afraid after you find out, you won’t want me to be your nephew anymore.”

“What is it?” Tao Gong’e asked.

Wei Xiaobao said, “I don’t have a dad, my mom is a wh0re in a pleasure house.”

Tao Gong’e was startled, but instantly a happy smile appeared across her face as she said delightedly, “Good nephew, a hero is not worried over low family background. Our Taizu Huangdi was a monk, was a hoodlum riff-raff, yet it was irrelevant. You do not even conceal this kind of fact from me, it goes to show that you are being sincere to your Gugu, naturally I won’t conceal anything from you either.”

Wei Xiaobao thought, “My mom is a wh0re, Mao Shiba Dage is already aware, eventually I cannot conceal it from anybody. If you want to swindle someone else, the most hidden secret in your heart must be shaken out first.” He jumped down at once and kneeled and kowtowed, saying, “Nephew Wei Xiaobao pays his respect to Gugu.”

For decades Tao Gong’e lived deep within the Palace, she had no relatives no family members, she had even less friendship and heard less friendly talk; hearing how affectionate Wei Xiaobao called her, she could not help but was very touched. Hastily she also got down from the carriage and said, “Good nephew, from now on I have a close relative in the world …” Speaking to this point, she could not refrain from shedding some tears. She was smiling and wiping her tears at the same time, saying, “Look at me, this is a very happy occasion, yet your Gugu is crying.”

The two of them climbed back onto the carriage. Tao Gong’e held the reins with her right hand, and held Wei Xiaobao’s right hand with her left, letting the mule walked step by step slowly. She said, “Good nephew, my surname is Tao, it’s my real surname, my humble given name is Hongying; I entered the Palace when I was twelve. By my second year I was already serving the Princess.”

“Princess?” Wei Xiaobao asked.

“Yes, Princess,” Tao Hongying replied, “Our Great Ming’s His Majesty Emperor Chongzhen’s own princess.”

“Ah,” Wei Xiaobao said, “So Gugu entered the Palace during our Great Ming’s Emperor Chongzhen.”

“Exactly,” Tao Hongying replied, “When the Emperor Chongzhen left the Palace, he swung his sword to cut off the Princess’ arm. When I heard that Princess had run into misfortune, I rushed out, thinking to save her. In my panic, I fell heavily and my forehead hit the stone steps and I fainted. By the time I came to, His Majesty and the Princess had already gone, the Palace was in total chaos, nobody cared about me. Not too long afterwards, that Chuang [lit. rushing] thief[1] entered the Palace, and then the Manchurian Qing Tatars drove away the Chuang thief and took possession of the Imperial Palace. Ay, that was many, many years ago.”

“Wasn’t the Princess the Emperor Chongzhen’s own daughter?” Wei Xiaobao asked, “Why did he want to hack her to death?”

Tao Hongying sighed and said, “Princess was the Emperor Chongzhen’s own daughter, she was the daughter he most doted on. By that time the Capital had already fallen, the evil troops had already entered the city, His Majesty was determined to sacrifice himself, he was afraid the Princess would be disgraced by the traitors; therefore, he wanted to kill the Princess first.”

“So that’s what happened,” Wei Xiaobao said, “To kill one’s own daughter is really not easy. I heard Emperor Chongzhen later hung himself on the Coal Hill, is that right?”

“Afterwards I heard people say so,” Tao Hongying replied, “The Manchurian Qing Tatars were led through the pass by Wu Sangui, they defeated the Chuang thief and occupied our Great Ming’s rivers and mountains. From all the eunuchs and palace maids in the Palace, eight or nine out of ten were let go, they said they were afraid those people would be unreliable. At that time I was still very young, plus my injury from the fall was quite heavy so that I was lying down in a dark room, nobody cared about me. It was more than three years later that I met my Shifu.”

“Gugu,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Your martial art skill is this high, your Shifu, the Senior’s martial art skill was naturally even more amazing.”

“My Shifu said that there are a lot of capable people in the world,” Tao Gong’e replied, “Our martial art skill cannot be considered anything special. My Shifu had received my Tai Shifu’s[2] order to enter the Palace and become a palace maid.” Brandishing the whip in the air, she made a ‘crack!’ noise before continuing, “The reason my Shifu entered the Palace was exactly those eight copies of the 'Forty-two-chapter Sutra'.”

“Altogether there are eight?” Wei Xiaobao asked.

“Altogether there are eight,” Tao Hongying replied, “The Manchus have eight banners: yellow, white, red, and blue, four plain banners, and four bordered banners. Each banner’s commander has one copy, altogether there are eight copies.”

“That’s exactly right,” Wei Xiaobao said, “The two copies of sutra we got from Oboi’s house have different colored envelopes, one has yellow envelope with red border, the other has plain white envelope.”

Tao Hongying said, “Turns out the color of the eight sutra envelopes are identical to the eight banners’ color; I have never seen any copy.”

Wei Xiaobao pondered in his heart, “I have five copies in my possession, that means there are three more. In the end, what is so strange about these eight sutras? I am sure Gugu knows. I must find a way to sound her out.” Feigning ignorance, he said, “Turns out your Tai Shifu, the Senior, was also a devout worshipper of Bodhisattva. The Buddhist scriptures of the Palace are naturally precious; some people said that those scriptures are written using golden ink.”

“That’s not it,” Tao Hongying said, “Good nephew, what I am going to tell you today, you must never divulge it to anybody else. Please make an oath.”

To Wei Xiaobao, ‘making an oath’ was extremely trivial and ordinary; he could make an oath in the morning, and had totally forgotten about it in the afternoon, he could make an oath in the afternoon, and had totally forgotten about it by the time he went to bed. Much less out of eight copies of sutra, he had already had five, how could he easily tell the secret to other people? He hastily said, “By the Emperor of Heaven and Empress of Earth, if Wei Xiaobao leaks the secret of the 'Forty-two-chapter Sutra', may he suffer the most terrible fate, may he die just like that turtle Shixiong of the old wh0re who dress in drag.” While in his heart he said, “I will never dress in drag and sleep with that old wh0re, so I can’t possibly die like that turtle Shixiong of hers.” He did believe that when he made an oath, he would have to answer to it someday; consequently, when he made an oath, he would always leave a room to maneuver.

Tao Hongying laughed. “This oath is actually very fresh and weird,” she said. “Let me tell you: When the Manchurian Qing Tatars entered the pass, they did not expect to obtain our Great Ming’s rivers and mountains. Manchu people are very few, their soldiers are not many; they would be perfectly contented if they could occupy the area outside the pass for a long time. Therefore, when they entered the pass, whenever the eight banners’ soldiers saw gold, silver and jewels, they would immediately snatch it away. They moved all these money and valuables to outside the pass. At that time the one wielding power was Emperor Shunzi’s father’s younger brother the Regent Prince, but each of the Manchu’s Eight Banners also have some power. That time the Eight Banners’ commanders got together to draw the secret location where the treasure was collected, and each commander of the Eight Banners held one piece of the map …”

Wei Xiaobao sprang up. “Ah!” he exclaimed loudly, “I know it!” Unable to contain his joy, the carriage shook. He sat back down and said, “These eight pieces of the map are hidden in those eight copies of the 'Forty-two-chapter Sutra'.”

Tao Hongying said, “It appears that it’s not entirely like that, but only those Eight Banners’ commanders knew clearly. Forget that no one among us, Han people, knows; I am afraid even among Manchu princes and dukes, and high-level ministers, only a few know about it. My Shifu said that the mountain on which the Manchu hid those jewels is the location of their dragon’s vein[3]. That the Tatars can occupy our Great Ming’s rivers and mountains, ascend the throne and become the Emperor, it is entirely dependent upon this mountain’s dragon vein.”

“What is a dragon’s vein?” Wei Xiaobao asked.

Tao Hongying replied, “That is an extremely good place according to feng shui; the Manchu Tatars ancestors were buried on that mountain, their descendants prospered greatly, they came to China and became the Emperor. Shifu said that if we can find that treasured mountain and cut off the dragon’s vein, plus dig out their graves, not only the Manchurian Tatars would fail to be the Emperor, everything they have would die inside the pass. This treasured mountain is that important, and that was the reason my Tai Shifu and my Shifu spent their hearts and blood to find the location of this mountain range. This great secret is hidden inside those eight copies of 'Forty-two-chapter Sutra'.”

“Gugu,” Wei Xiaobao asked, “How did your Tai Shifu know this Manchu people’s matter?”

“This matter is complicated and not easy to express succinctly,” Tao Hongying replied, “My Tai Shifu was originally a Han woman of Jinzhou [prefecture level city in Liaoning province], who was captured by the Tatars. That Tatar was the Bordered Blue Banner Commander. My Tai Shifu said that after the Tatars entered the pass, they saw how big our China is, how many people we have, they were both delighted and afraid. The commanders of the Eight Banners successively held several meetings for many days, there were heated arguments during the meetings, they could not settle on any single idea.”

“What were they arguing for?” Wei Xiaobao asked.

Tao Hongying said, “Some banner commanders wanted to occupy the whole China, some others said that Han people were this many, if they rose in rebellion, a hundred Han people could fight one banner man, how could the banner man live? It would be better if they loot the whole place and return to outside the pass; it would be much safer. Finally the Regent Prince made a decision; he said that while plundering and transporting the gold, silver and jewels outside the pass, they would establish an emperor in China. If the Han people rebelled and the situation became critical, the banner men would withdraw to the Shanhai Pass.”

“Turns out the Manchurian Qing Tatars at that time were really afraid of us, Han people,” Wei Xiaobao said.

“Why not?” Tao Hongying said, “Even now they are still afraid. It’s just that we are not of one mind. Good nephew, the Tatar young emperor is very fond of you, if you can search out the location of those eight sutras, we could steal those sutras and break the Tatars’ dragon’s vein, then those gold, silver and jewels could be used to cover the expense of raising a militia [orig. ‘righteous army’ – volunteer army]. So long as we raise arms, the Qing troops would be frightened and flee outside the pass.”

Wei Xiaobao did not have any zeal to breaking the dragon’s vein or raising militia, but thinking about that mountain hid an innumerable wealth, he could not help but palpitating with eagerness. “Gugu,” he asked, “Is the secret of this treasured mountain really hidden inside those eight sutras?”

Tao Hongying replied, “My Tai Shifu told my Shifu that one day the Bordered Blue Banner Commander got drunk and told his young Manchurian wife that when he died, he wanted to pass on a copy of sutra to the young wife’s son, and not giving it to his first wife’s son. The young wife was really not happy, saying what’s so rare about a Buddhist scripture. The Banner Commander said that it was their Eight Banners’ lifeblood; it was more important than anything, and roughly mentioned the origin of the Buddhist scripture. Tai Shifu was eavesdropping outside the window, only then did she understand the fact. Afterwards Tai Shifu trained martial arts, my Shifu also learned from her, Senior, for many years. Tai Shifu attempted to steal the sutra, as a result, she was beaten and was seriously hurt. Before her death, she told Shifu to infiltrate the Palace and become a palace maid, to find a way to steal the scripture. There were martial art experts in the Bordered Blue Banner Commander’s mansion, she thought her effort of stealing the scripture in the Palace would likely go smoothly. Who would have known that not long after Shifu entered the Palace, she found out that the imperial ground was even more strictly guarded, palace maids cannot carelessly wander around, so stealing the scripture became extremely difficult. When she was talking to me, she found out about the Great Ming’s Princess, her heart remembered her old ruler with fondness, and thus she accepted me as her disciple.”

Wei Xiaobao said, “No wonder with thousand ways, a hundred plans the old wh0re is trying to get hold of the scripture. She is a Manchurian, she can’t possibly want to break the dragon’s vein, presumably she wants to obtain the treasured mountain’s gold, silver and jewels. But she is the Empress Dowager, she could have anything she wants, what does she needs the treasure for?” He also thought, “Then why did the old turtle Hai kept this matter constantly in his mind? Why did he always want me to go to the Upper Study Room to steal the book? Hmm, perhaps he did not really want the scripture, he only wanted to trick me into revealing who was the mastermind who sent me to poison blind his eyes, or perhaps to investigate who the real assassin who murdered Empress Duan Jing. He must be thinking that the mastermind and the assassin was the same person. I am afraid I do not have the ability to deceive the old turtle Hai into revealing his mind; perhaps even Yan Luo Wang do not have that ability.”

---

[1] Li Zicheng, the leader of peasant rebellion at the end of the Ming Dynasty, he called himself Chuang Wang - 'The Roaming King'. The character ‘Chuang’ (闖) means to rush / to charge / to dash / to break through / to temper oneself (through battling hardships).

[2] Lit. ‘great’ shifu, in this case, ‘grand master’, shifu of shifu.

[3] My dictionary has an additional definition: terrain that looks like a dragon.

[foxs]

How could Tao Hongying guess that Wei Xiaobao’s thought had turned toward Hai Dafu? She said, “Perhaps there is something else, something strange in the treasured mountain, which even Tai Shifu did not know. Not long after Shifu entered the Palace, she fell ill and died. At the death’s door, the Senior imploring me over and over again, telling me to find a way to steal the scripture. She warned me that stealing the scripture is extremely difficult, based on my own strength, I might not succeed, so she wanted me to take a reliable disciple inside the Palace and pass the secret of the sutra onto her. This generation failed, the next generation would try again, never to let this secret to be buried and forgotten.”

“Yes, yes!” Wei Xiaobao said, “If this great secret is lost in transmission, those countless gold, silver and jewels would be … it would be a great pity.”

“The gold, silver and treasure is not important,” Tao Hongying said, “But to let generation after generation of the Tatars occupying our Han people’s rivers and mountains would be the greatest regret.”

“Gugu is right,” Wei Xiaobao said. But in his heart he was thinking, “It would be the greatest regret indeed if those gold, silver and jewels by the thousands and tens of thousands are not taken out and being spent.” He was still very young; about the massacre of Han people by Manchu soldiers, he only heard it from others, he had never personally experienced it. Among the Manchu people in the Palace at that time, only the Empress Dowager was hateful to him. Although Hai Dafu also conspired against him, in the end he did more harm to Hai Dafu than Hai Dafu did harm to him. The rest of the people, from the Emperor down, all had treated him very well, so he had never thought the Manchus were fiendish, bloody and cruel people. He was also aware however, that if he did not receive the Emperor’s favor, those Manchurian nobilities and ministers could not possibly show that kind of warmth or flatter him like that. But when all is said and done, he saw more kindness and less brutality from those Manchus; therefore, the enmity between the races, the hatred of his nation, was rather dull in his heart.

“These past few years,” Tao Hongying continued, “I haven’t received any disciple. The number of palace maids I saw is not many, the ones I met were either stupid and muddleheaded, or flirtatious and narrow-minded, all they think about daily was how to be lucky to have the Emperor’s visit so that they could rise from the palace maid to imperial concubine. How can we tell this great secret of ours to this kind of people? In recent years I often worried that if this situation continues, not only I could not obtain the slightest clue of the scriptures’ whereabouts, I could not get a good disciple either. When I die later, I would bring this secret to my grave, then the Manchu Tatars would sit steadily on our rivers and mountains. The fact that I would wrong Tai Shifu and Shifu needs not be mentioned, worse yet, I would become great sinner toward our Han people. Good nephew, I came across you inadvertently and could tell you all about this matter, in my heart I am really happy.”

“I am also very happy,” Wei Xiaobao said, “But not because of the sutra or whatever, I don’t even think about it in my heart.”

“Then what makes you happy?” Tao Hongying asked.

“I don’t have any relative,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “My mama is like that, I seldom see my Shifu, but now I have an aunt, a good aunt. Naturally I am very happy.” His mouth was sweet, he knew how to coax Tao Hongying and made her happy.

Indeed she was very happy; she smiled and said, “And I get a good nephew, so I am also very happy.” After a short pause, she asked, “Who is your Shifu?”

Wei Xiaobao replied, “My Shifu is the Zongduozhu of Tian Di Hui, surnamed Chen, given name Jin at the top and Nan at the bottom.”

Even such a famous personality like Chen Jinnan, Tao Hongying seemed to hear it only for the first time. She simply nodded and said, “So your Shifu is Tian Di Hui’s Zongduozhu, his martial art must be superb.”

“It’s just that the time I follow my Shifu is too short,” Wei Xiaobao said, “I haven’t learned any skill. Good Gugu, how about you teach me some?”

Tao Hongying hesitated before saying, “If you have never learned any martial art, naturally I would be happy to pass on everything I learned to you. But most likely your Shifu’s martial art is completely different to my martial art school, I am afraid it would be harmful if you learned it. In your opinion, your Shifu and I, whose martial art skill is stronger?”

When Wei Xiaobao asked Tao Hongying to teach him martial art, his intention was only to make her happy. Supposing that Tao Hongying really agreed to teach him, he would have tried to make other excuses instead. Once he started martial art training, he would not be able to go to Wutai Mountain, much less his natural character was that he only loved to loaf around and play, without any patience to learn martial art. Hearing her saying that, he seized the chance by saying, "Gugu, in front of you, I can't tell a lie."

"Naturally it is better for a little child to be honest," Tao Hongying said.

Wei Xiaobao said, "I have seen Shifu fought with someone with very good martial art, in only three moves he managed to subdue him; that man lost miserably. Gugu, I am afraid you are still inferior to Shifu."

Tao Hongying smiled and said, "That's right. I also believe I am inferior to him by far. When I struggled against that man disguised as a palace maid, if you did not stab him in the back, I would have been finished early on. I am sure your Shifu can't be that useless."

Wei Xiaobao said, "But that fake palace maid was really formidable; even now, when I remember him, I am still afraid."

Suddenly the muscles on Tao Hongying's face were twitching, her eyes revealed a frightened look, she stared straight ahead with blank expression on her face. "Gugu," Wei Xiaobao said, "Are you feeling ill?"

Tao Hongying did not reply, as if she did not hear him. Wei Xiaobao asked her again. Tao Hongying's body shivered, she said, "No ... I am not." 'Splat!' suddenly the whip in her hand fell to the ground. Wei Xiaobao leaped down the carriage to pick it up, and then he jumped back onto the carriage; his movement was very neat and nimble. He was feeling very proud of himself, hoping that Tao Hongying would utter some words of praise. But he saw she shook her head and said, "Child, after you made a decision, you should painstakingly train before you can succeed. With your martial art level right now, to deal with the eunuchs in the Palace, it is too good; but if you want to roam the Jianghu, it is too bad, you are actually inferior to people who do not know martial art at all."

Wei Xiaobao's face blushed deep red, "Yes!" he replied. But in his heart he wondered, "Although my martial art is not that good, why am I inferior to people who do not know martial art at all?"

Tao Hongying said, "If you do not know martial art at all, people would not easily kill you. But since you know martial art, your opponent will guard against your counterattack, when they make their move, they won't easily spare you; won't it be bad instead?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "What if I meet small bandits who beat randomly with some stick?"

Tao Hongying was taken aback, momentarily she was at a loss of what to say. A moment later she said, "That's true, perhaps there are more small bandits in Jianghu than martial art experts." She looked disturbed; pointing to a large tree on the right ahead of them, she said, "Let us take a rest before continuing our journey, let the mule eat some grass." She drove toward the tree. The two of them jumped down the carriage and sat side by side on the tree root.

Tao Hongying was lost in thought again. Suddenly she mumbled, "Did he say it? Did he say something?"

Wei Xiaobao did not know whom she was asking, he raised his head to look at her, not knowing how to answer her question. The two of them looked at each other, one was waiting the other to answer, the other did not know what she was talking about.

After a while, Tao Hongying asked again, "Did you hear him saying anything? Did you see his lips moving?"

Seeing her strange expression, Wei Xiaobao was rather scared. "Gugu must be under a spell. Or did she see a ghost?" he mused. "Gugu," he asked, "Whom did you see?"

"Who?" Tao Hongying said, "It's that ... that man who dressed as a fake palace maid!"

Wei Xiaobao was even more afraid. With a trembling voice he asked, "You saw that fake palace maid? Where ... where is he?"

As if she had just awakened from a dream Tao Hongying said, "That night in the Empress Dowager's room, when I fought that fake palace maid, did you hear him or see he opened his mouth to speak?"

Wei Xiaobao let out a breath; he said, "Um, so you are asking about that night. Did he say anything? I did not hear it."

Tao Hongying pondered for a moment, and then she shook her head and said, "My martial art skill is far too inferior to his, he did not need to use any incantations."

Wei Xiaobao was completely at a loss. "Gugu," he said consolingly, "No need to think about him anymore, we have killed him early on, he won't come back to life."

"We have killed that man, he won't come back to life," Tao Hongying echoed. She seemed to be consoling herself, but when she said those words, her expression showed that deep in her heart she was extremely terrified.

Wei Xiaobao thought, "Although your martial art is good, you are afraid of ghosts. Just killing one person you are this anxious, much less it was me who killed that fake palace maid, it wasn't you. You killed the old wh0re, actually you killed a tactless and impulsive person; you killed her half dead, half alive, in the end she still came back to live. How disappointing!"

Tao Hongying said, "Since he is dead, naturally we can forget about him, right?"

"That's right," Wei Xiaobao replied, "Even if he turned into a ghost, we don't need to fear him."

"What ghost?" Tao Hongying asked, "I am worried because he was the disciple of Divine Dragon Cult's Jiaozhu. That ... that ... um, Empress Dowager called him Shixiong, it's impossible, it's definitely impossible. Looking at his martial art, it was totally different that hers, right? You really did not see him moving his lips when he was fighting, right?" She seemed to be talking to herself, her voice trembled, as if she was hoping Wei Xiaobao would confirm her speculation.

But how could Wei Xiaobao distinguish the fake palace maid's martial art? He said loudly, "Don't worry, you are right, that fake palace maid's martial art was different. When he was fighting, his lips were shut tight, he did not utter a single word. Gugu, what kind of fellow is that Divine Dragon Cult's Jiaozhu?"

Tao Hongying hurriedly said, "Hong Jiaozhu of Shen Long Jiao's [if you don't mind too much, I'd like to use Shen Long Jiao from now on, in my mind 'Divine Dragon Cult' is just too clumsy] magical power is extensive, his martial art is deep and immeasurable, how can you casually call him a 'fellow'? Child, even behind his back, your speech must not offend him. Da Jiaozhu [Great Cult Leader] Hong's disciples and grand disciples are numerous and very well-informed, as soon as you utter a sentence or half a phrase disrespectful word toward him, it will be transmitted to his ear, you ... just consider your life is over." While saying that, she looked left and right, as if she was afraid a Shen Long Jiao Jiaozhu's follower was around.

"Shen Long Jiao Jiaozhu is that powerful?" Wei Xiaobao said, "Could it be that his power exceeds that of the Emperor?"

"Naturally his power is not as great as the Emperor's," Tao Hongying replied, "But if you offend the Emperor, you can run and hide, the Emperor may not necessarily able to find and seize you; but if you offend Shen Long Jiao Jiaozhu, even if you run to the ends of the earth, you won't find a hiding place."

"If that's the case," Wei Xiaobao said, "Shen Long Jiao has more men and greater force than our Tian Di Hui?"

Tao Hongying shook her head, "It's not the same, it's not the same," she said, "Your Tian Di Hui is fighting the Qing, restoring the Ming; your deeds are just and honorable, all hero and warriors in Jianghu respect you deeply. Shen Long Jiao on the other hand, is substantially different."

Wei Xiaobao said, "Are you saying that all hero and warriors in Jianghu are afraid of Shen Long Jiao?"

Tao Hongying had to think for a moment before responding, "What I understand about the Jianghu matters is very, very little; I only heard Shifu mentioning it a little bit. My Tai Shifu had such a superb martial art skill, yet she still perished under the hands of Shen Long Jiao disciple."

Wei Xiaobao swore without any restrain, "Damn it, if that's the case, Shen Long Jiao is our sworn enemy, why should we fear him?"

Tao Hongying shook her head, then slowly said, "My Shifu said that the martial art taught by Shen Long Jiao has countless changes, admittedly, it is very formidable; but even more difficult to resist is the many incantation practiced by their Cult, which they read as they are facing the enemy, which can make the opponent's heart alarmed and trembling with fear, while the more they fight, the braver they become. When Tai Shifu was trying to steal the sutra from the Bordered Blue Banner Commander's mansion, she was involved in a fierce battle against several disciples of the Shen Long Jiao. One of them started to read the spell, Tai Shifu's fist wind and palm strength became weaker and weaker, until finally her lower abdomen was hit by a palm and she suffered a heavy injury. At that time my Shifu was watching from the side, she said that she mustered up her courage to rush forward to help, but after hearing the incantation, her whole body turned limp and painful, and she had a strong desire to kneel down and surrender, unexpectedly her fighting spirit was gone. When Tai Shifu was wounded, that person no longer read the spell, my Shifu immediately felt her courage surged back, she rushed toward Tai Shifu and took her away. When she recalled this event afterward, she always felt ashamed but was also scared, thus she repeatedly warned me that among the most dangerous things in the world, nothing surpasses fighting with Shen Long Jiao's people."

Wei Xiaobao thought, "Your Shifu was a woman, her courage was small, seeing the strength of the opponent, she was frightened and thinking about surrendering." He asked, "Gugu, did you hear what kind of spell that man was reading?"

"I ... I did not hear it," Tao Hongying replied, "I was afraid that fake palace maid was a Shen Long Jiao disciple, that's why I asked you if you hear him saying anything or see his lips moving during the fight."

"Oh, so that's the reason," Wei Xiaobao said. He tried to think if he saw or heard anything from under the bed. "No, I did not. But did you hear it?"

Tao Hongying said, "That fake palace maid's martial art was a lot stronger than mine, I fought him with everything I have, I neither hear nor see anything that happened around me. I just felt that after I fought him for a while, my heart suddenly became afraid, I wanted to run away. When I think about it, I feel very strange."

"Gugu," Wei Xiaobao asked, "After you learned martial art, how many people have you fought? How many people have you killed?"

Tao Hongying shook her head and said, "I have never fought anybody, I have never killed even one person."

"That's the reason," Wei Xiaobao said, "After killing several more people, you won't feel afraid when you fight again."

"Perhaps you are right," Tao Hongying said, "But I don't want to fight anybody, I don't want to kill anybody even more, as long as I can safely and peacefully get those eight copies of the 'Forty-two-chapter Sutra' and break the Manchurian Qing Tatars' dragon vein, I will be perfectly satisfied. Ay, but there is a 80, 90% chance that the Bordered Blue Banner Commander's copy of 'Forty-two-chapter Sutra' has fallen into Shen Long Jiao's hands. It would be very difficult to recapture the book from the Shen Long Jiao's hands." She was still wearing disguise on her face, Wei Xiaobao could not see her expression, but from her eyes, he could see clearly that deep in her heart she was still very much afraid.

"Gugu," Wei Xiaobao said, "What do you say about joining our Tian Di Hui?" He was thinking, "You are very scared! Our Tian Di Hui has many men and great force, we don't have to be afraid of Shen Long Jiao."

Tao Hongying was startled; she asked, "Why do you want me to join Tian Di Hui?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "Tian Di Hui's main objective is to fight the Qing and restore the Ming, the same idea your Tai Shifu and your Shifu had."

"That is actually a very good idea," Tao Hongying said, "But let's talk about it later. I must return to the Palace now. Where are you going?"

"You are returning to the Palace?" Wei Xiaobao asked in amazement, "Aren't you afraid of the Empress Dowager?"

Tao Hongying sighed and said, "Since I was a child I grew up in the Palace. After thinking it over, only in the Palace I can live without fear, I don't understand anything about the matter of the outside world. Originally I was afraid this great secret would follow me to my grave, but now that I have told it to you, even if the Empress Dowager kills me, it's nothing. Besides, the Palace is very big, I will find a place where I can hide, where the Empress Dowager won't find me."

"Alright," Wei Xiaobao said, "You return to the Palace, someday I will definitely come to see you. Right now Shifu has something for me to do."

Tao Hongying knew it was inappropriate to ask about Tian Di Hui's business, so she said, "When you are back to the Palace later, how are you and I going to meet?"

Wei Xiaobao replied, "When I am back at the Palace, I will pile up rocks at the burning ground, and will stick a piece of wood on the pile of rocks, with a picture of a bird on the piece of wood, then you'll know that I am back. That same night, we can meet at the burning ground."

Tao Hongying nodded, "Very good," she said, "Let's do it this way. Good child, the wind and waves in Jianghu are dangerous, in everything you must be careful."

Wei Xiaobao nodded, "Yes," he said, "Gugu, you must be careful yourself, the Empress Dowager, that old wh0re's heart is vicious, you must never, ever fall into her plot."

The two of them arrived at a town, Wei Xiaobao hired another carriage, they parted ways to the east and to the west. Wei Xiaobao saw Tao Hongying drove her carriage eastwards, he was unable not to turn his head to look at her back as he thought, "Although she is not my real Gugu, she treats me very well."

[foxs]

Chapter 16 - Sweet talk hidden in musk deer powder’s fragrance, new ghosts wailed in the midst of ornaments
(Translated by Foxs)

LuDingJi-16.jpg

Amidst the noise of the heavy rain, from the east wing suddenly came the sound of several women wailing, the voice was very mournful. Hearing this, everybody could not stop the hair on ther bodies from standing up, their countenance changed greatly. A moment later, from the west wing came the sound of a woman weeping in grief.

[foxs]

On the carriage, Wei Xiaobao closed his eyes and took a nap. Towards the evening, he suddenly heard the sound of horse’s hoof, a rider was coming fast from behind. When it came close enough, he heard a man’s voice shouted, “Driver, does your passenger happen to be a child?”

Wei Xiaobao recognized the voice as Liu Yizhou’s; without waiting for the driver to reply, he poked his head out of the carriage and said with a laugh, “Liu Dage, are you looking for me?”

Liu Yizhou’s brow was beaded with sweat, his face was dusty; as soon as he saw Wei Xiaobao he called out, “Good, finally I found you!” From behind the carriage he galloped around to the front and shouted, “Roll out!”

Seeing his ill-expression, Wei Xiaobao was shocked; “Liu Dage,” he asked, “How did I offend you? Why are you so angry?”

Liu Yizhou brandished the horsewhip in his hand and lashed it out forcefully on the head of the mule pulling the carriage. The mule neighed in pain and reared on its hind legs, bringing the carriage up that the driver almost fell down. The driver shouted, “The sky is clear, the sun is shining, are you seeing a ghost? Why are you acting so unreasonably?”

Liu Yizhou shouted, “Laozi wants to act unreasonably!” Brandishing the whip one more time, he wound it around the driver’s whip and pulled it hard, throwing the driver to the ground, and immediately lashed the whip again and again, cursing with every strike, “Laozi wants to act unreasonably! Laozi wants to act unreasonably!”

The carriage driver struggled, but was unable to crawl back up, he could only curse ‘yeye’, ‘naynay’ [(paternal) grandfather and grandmother, respectively] left and right. Liu Yizhou struck heavier and heavier; blood started to splash as the whip went down relentlessly. Wei Xiaobao was greatly taken aback; he mused, “This carriage driver had neither grudge nor enmity with him, yet he beats him this bad, while he is actually rushing to get to me. Laozi is not his match, after he is done with the carriage driver, he will most likely beat me like that; the turn of events would be far from good.” Drawing the dagger from his boot, he lightly poked the mule’s buttocks.

The mule felt pain and was startled, it kicked back and then dashed wildly, pulling the large carriage along the main road. Liu Yizhou left the carriage driver, he slapped his horse’s back to give a chase, while calling out, “Good kid, if you have guts, don’t run!”

From the carriage Wei Xiaobao stuck out his head and called back, “Good kid, if you have guts, don’t pursue!”

Liu Yizhou whipped his horse to rush over. Although the mule was running very fast, it was, after all, pulling a large carriage; after running for a while, Liu Yizhou managed to close the distance. Wei Xiaobao was thinking of throwing the dagger toward Liu Yizhou, but he thought that he would most likely miss, and would lose the dagger with which he protect himself instead. He yelled and shouted wildly, urging the mule to run faster. Suddenly there was a sharp wind by his ear, followed by a burning pain on the right side of his face as Liu Yizhou’s whip struck him. Hastily he pulled his head back into the carriage, from the slit on the carriage cover he could see the head of Liu Yizhou’s horse was already by the carriage’s side, only a few more steps, Liu Yizhou would then be able to jump into the carriage. With an inspiration in a moment of desperation, he put his hand into his pocket and got an ingot of silver, which he hurled out as hard as he could, it happened to hit the horse’s left eye. Blood spurting out of the horse’s left eye as its eyeball disintegrated and blinded instantly. The horse bolted toward the hillside. Liu Yizhou hastily pulled the reins, but the horse was hurt so bad that with a few fierce jumps it threw Liu Yizhou off its back. He rolled on the ground and immediately stood up, but the horse had already entered the forest, neighing repeatedly while galloping away.

Wei Xiaobao laughed aloud and called out, "Liu Dage, if you can't ride a horse, I advise you to catch a turtle and ride it!"

Liu Yizhou was very angry, he raised his chi and ran after the carriage. Wei Xiaobao jumped in fright and quickly urged the mule to run faster. When he turned his head around, he saw that although Liu Yizhou was about twenty, thirty zhang away from the carriage; he did not stop pursuing in large strides, it would not be easy to throw him off. Wei Xiaobao pulled his dagger and lightly poked the mule's buttocks again. Who would have thought that this time it was not working? The mule jumped up and down several times, suddenly it turned around and ran toward Liu Yizhou.

"Wrong way! Wrong way!" Wei Xiaobao yelled, "You dirty beast, I feed you but you help my enemy[1]. Now you're really putting laozi in a bad spot!" With all his strength he tried to pull the reins, but the mule was showing its true nature, how could he pull it back? Seeing the situation was far from good, Wei Xiaobao hastily jumped down from the carriage and ran into a forest by the side of the road.

With a big leap Liu Yizhou flew on top of him, while stretching out his left hand to grab the back of Wei Xiaobao's neck. Wei Xiaobao stabbed the dagger in his right hand backward, Liu Yizhou used his right hand to press Wei Xiaobao's arm downward, using the move 'Floating Cloud Running Water' he grabbed Wei Xiaobao's wrist and bent it backward toward his own arm so that the tip of the dagger was pointing toward Wei Xiaobao's throat.

"Little thief!" he shouted, "You still dare to resist me?" 'Slap! Slap!' with his left hand he slapped Wei Xiaobao's ears.

Wei Xiaobao's wrist was in so much pain; he felt a cool breeze on his throat and knew that his dagger could cut iron like mud, it would shear his throat like cutting a tofu. "Liu Dage," he said, smiling and giggling, "If you want to say something, just say it; we are on the same side, why play rough?"

Liu Yizhou spat on his face. "Pei! Who's on the same side with you? You ... you ... you, little thief, you dare to sweet talk and deceive my Fang Shimei in the Imperial Palace, and ... and slept with her on the same bed. This ... this ... I ... I ... I must kill you ..." The blue veins on his forehead were bulging, his eyes looked like they were about to spout fire, his left hand curled into a fist, which he held in front of Wei Xiaobao's face.

It was only then did Wei Xiaobao realize why Liu Yizhou was that angry, turned out it was because of Fang Yi; but how did he find out? Right now he was facing a 'thousand pounds hanging by a thread' situation, if he let his anger flared up and he increased the strength of his hand by 5%, a hole would immediately appear on his own throat. Thereupon he said with laugh, "Miss Fang is your sweetheart, how could I dare to be rude to her? In Miss Fang's heart there is only one man, you. From dawn to dusk, she is only thinking about you."

Liu Yizhou's anger immediately abated. "How do you know?" he asked. The dagger was pulled back several cun.

Wei Xiaobao said, "It was only because she asked me to save you that I took you out of the Palace. As soon as she learned that you were out of danger, her joy was indescribable."

Suddenly Liu Yizhou's anger flared up again; with a clenched teeth he said, "You, little son-of-a-b1tch, laozi does not want to receive your pity! I don't care if you saved me or not, but why did you deceive my Fang Shimei into agreeing to marry ... to become your wife?" The dagger advanced several cun.

“Uh,” Wei Xiaobao said, “How can there be such thing? Who told you that? Miss Fang is a ‘bashful flower obstructing the moon’ type of beautiful woman, only a handsome and established hero like you is fit to marry her!"

Liu Yizhou's anger diminished thirty more percent, the dagger withdrew several cun back; he said, "You still want to deny? Fang Shimei has agreed to marry you and be your wife, right?" Wei Xiaobao laughed aloud. "What's so funny?" Liu Yizhou asked.

"Liu Dage," Wei Xiaobao said with a laugh, "Let me ask you: can a eunuch take a wife?"

Because of his anger, Liu Yizhou had rushed to pursue Wei Xiaobao, without remembering that Wei Xiaobao was a eunuch, and that eunuchs do not marry. Reminded by Wei Xiaobao's words, his heart was in full bloom, he could not help but burst out in laughter, but he did not release Wei Xiaobao's wrist. "Then why did you swindle my Fang Shimei into agreeing to marry you?" he asked.

"Where did you hear that from?" Wei Xiaobao asked.

"I heard it with my own ears, Fang Shimei was talking to Xiao Junzhu," Liu Yizhou said, "Are you saying they are lying?"

"Were they talking to each other, or did they tell you?" Wei Xiaobao asked.

Liu Yizhou hesitated before replying, "They were talking to each other."

What happened was that as Xu Tianchuan, Fang Yi and Mu Jianping set off toward Shijiazhuang, they had not travelled far when they came across Wu Lishen, Ao Biao and Liu Yizhou, three people. In the Qing Palace, Wu Lishen, three people were tortured; although their muscles and bones were not seriously injured, their bodies were beaten that their skin was broken and their flesh burst open. They were also on their way to Shijiazhuang, riding on a carriage, to recuperate from their wounds. Meeting each other by chance, they were very delighted. But Fang Yi's expression when she met Liu Yizhou was entirely different from in the past, other than greeted him with a "Liu Shige" when they met, she was totally indifferent, she did not even pay him any attention.

Twice, then three times, Liu Yizhou tried to pull her aside so that they could have a heart-to-heart talk, but Fang Yi was unwilling to leave Mu Jianping's side. Liu Yizhou was both anxious and angry, he pressed on tighter. Fang Yi said, "Liu Shige, from now on the two of us only share the Shixiong, Shimei sentiment, apart from this, don't mention anything, don't think anything."

Liu Yizhou was startled. "Wh ... why?" he asked.

"Nothing," Fang Yi coldly replied.

Liu Yizhou pulled her hand and anxiously said, "Shimei, you ..."

Fang Yi struggled hard to free herself and shouted, "Please show some respect!"

Suffering a major embarrassment, at the inn that night Liu Yizhou was tossing and turning without able to put his head down to rest. His mood surged, he crawled out quietly toward the window of Fang Yi and Mu Jianping's room. As expected, he heard the two of them were talking to each other in low voice.

Mu Jianping said, "You treated Liu Shige like that, wouldn't you make him broken-hearted?"

"What can I do?" Fang Yi replied, "The sooner he is broken-hearted, the sooner he will forget me, the sooner he won't be broken-hearted anymore."

Mu Jianping said, "Are you really going to marry ... marry that little child Wei Xiaobao? He is so young, can you be his wife?"

Fang Yi said, "It is you who want to marry this little monkey, therefore, you urge me to treat Shige well, am I right?"

"No, no, it's not that!" Mu Jianping hurriedly said, "In that case, you'd better marry Wei Dage sooner."

Fang Yi sighed and said, "I have made an oath, putting curse on myself; have you already forgotten? That day I said, 'By the Emperor of Heaven above and the Queen of Earth below, if Gui Gong-gong can rescue Liu Yizhou and bring him to safety, the lowly woman Fang Yi will be willing to be Gui Gong-gong’s wife, and will be loyal and dependable to my husband with singleness of heart for the rest of my life, even if Gui Gong-gong cannot take me as wife for real, I am dead set on taking care of him for a lifetime. If I am double-minded, let me be cut into ten thousand pieces and will not be reincarnated.' I also said, 'Xiao Junzhu is my witness.' I can't forget this, you must not forget it either."

"You did say those words," Mu Jianping said, "But I thought ... I thought that he was only joking, you don't need to take him seriously."

Fang Yi said, "I don't care if he was serious or was only joking, but as women, if we have personally agree to give ourselves to him in marriage, we must never go back on our promise, we must be faithful unto death[2]. Much less ... much less ..."

"Much less what?" Mu Jianping asked.

Fang Yi said, "I have thought carefully, even if I can deny the words I said, but he ... he had shared the same bed with the two of us, slept under the same quilt ..."

"Pfft!" Mu Jianping stifled her laughter, "Wei Dage is really naughty. He also said that in the ‘Legend of Heroic Deeds’ there is a chapter called something like ‘Mu Wangye subdued Yunnan with three arrows, Gui Gong-gong embraces beautiful women with his pair of hands’. Shijie, he did embrace you and kiss you!" Fang Yi heaved a sigh and no longer said anything.

Listening from outside the window, Liu Yizhou felt as if his five internal organs were burning, as if the sky was spinning and the earth was turning, his knees went weak. He heard Fang Yi continued, "Actually, although he is young, he can talk smooth, and his treatment to the two of us is not bad at all. This time we part, I wonder when we will see him again."

Mu Jianping stifled another laugh, with a low voice she said, "Shijie, you miss him!"

"If I miss him then I miss him, so what?" Fang Yi said.

"That's right," Mu Jianping said, "I miss him too. Several times I tried to invite him to come with us to Shijiazhuang, but he always said that he has an important business to attend. Shijie, do you think he was telling the truth, or was he lying to us?"

Fang Yi said, "When we stopped by for a snack earlier, I overheard him chatting with the carriage driver, he was asking the way to Shanxi. Apparently he is going to Shanxi."

Mu Jianping said, "He is so young, yet traveling alone to Shanxi; what would happen if he came across bad people along the way?"

Fang Yi sighed and said, "I was thinking of asking Xu Laoyezi not to escort us, but to escort him instead, but I know Xu Laoyezi would not agree."

"Shijie," Mu Jianping said, "I ... I think ..."

"What is it?" Fang Yi asked.

Mu Jianping sighed. "Never mind," she said.

Fang Yi said, "Too bad both of us are injured, otherwise, we can accompany him going to Shanxi. Now that we met Wu Shishu, Liu Shige, we cannot go looking for him."

Listening to this part, Liu Yizhou's head was dizzy. 'Bang!' his forehead bumped onto the window frame. "What's that?" Fang Yi and Mu Jianping asked together.

Liu Yizhou's heart was burning with jealousy, it was as if he turned mad; his only thought was, "I must kill that boy, I must kill that boy!" Rushing toward the front courtyard, he pulled a horse, pushed open the inn's gate, mounted the horse and rushed off. He thought that since Wei Xiaobao was going to Shanxi, he headed to the west.

Galloping until daybreak, he asked the way to Shanxi, then rushed along the main road in pursuit. Each time he came across a large carriage, he would ask, “Does the one sitting on the carriage happen to be a child?”

Listening to Liu Yizhou, Wei Xiaobao knew that Liu Yizhou's knowledge came from listening to Xiao Junzhu and Fang Yi's conversation, presumably he was eavesdropping; therefore, what he knew must be limited. Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, "Liu Shige, you have fallen into your Shimei's trick."

"What trick?" Liu Yizhou asked.

Wei Xiaobao said, "Miss Fang told me that she wanted to make you mad, because she put her heart and soul to save you, but you did not have her in your heart at all."

"How ... how can that be?" Liu Yizhou asked anxiously, "How could she say that I do not have her in my heart at all?"

"You gave her a silver hairpin, didn't you?" Wei Xiaobao asked, "There was a plum blossom on the head of the hairpin."

"Yes, yes!" Liu Yizhou replied, "How do you know?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "During the tangled battle in the Palace, she dropped the hairpin, and she seemed very anxious about it. She said that it was given by her sweetheart, so whatever happens she must not lose it, even if she has to stake her life, she must find it."

Liu Yizhou was taken aback. "She ... she is that good to me?" he muttered to himself.

"Of course," Wei Xiaobao said, "How can it be false?"

"And then what happened?" Liu Yizhou asked.

---

[1] Lit. 'eat inside, cling outside'; it is a term meant to refer to someone who benefits/is raised by one person, but instead helps outsiders (usually, the enemy). (Courtesy of Ren Wo Xing)

[2] My dictionary has this explanation to this phrase: Confucian ban on widow remarrying.

[foxs]

"You twist my hand like this, I am in great pain," Wei Xiaobao said, "How can I talk?"

"Alright!" Liu Yizhou said. Hearing Fang Yi’s deep affection toward him, his rage had dissipated for the most part; also, he thought that this child could not escape from his palm anyway, thereupon he released his grip and asked, “And then what happened?”

Being grasped by him, Wei Xiaobao’s arm went numb and was hurting bad; he slowly put the dagger back into his boot, and saw that there were some red and swollen finger prints on his wrist. “Mu Palace people love to grab other people’s wrist. You are like this, Bai Hanfeng was also like this. The ‘Turtle Grasping Technique’ of the Mu Family Fist Technique is very well-developed.”

When saying the ‘Turtle Grabbing Technique’, the word ‘turtle’ was spoken very obscurely that Liu Yizhou did not hear it clearly, but he did not take any notice anyway; Liu Yizhou asked, “Fang Shimei lost the silver hairpin I gave her, and then what happened?”

Wei Xiaobao said, “You have gripped me with your ‘Turtle Claw’ that I am unable to breathe easily, I must take a rest before I can tell you anything. In short, whether you can or cannot take Miss Fang as your wife, it involves a great responsibility.”

This time Liu Yizhou could hear the words ‘Turtle Claw’ clearly, but his rage stemmed from the fact that Wei Xiaobao has swindled Fang Yi into agreeing to marry him; he really did not care if Wei Xiaobao took advantage of him orally. Also, hearing Wei Xiaobao said, ‘Whether you can or cannot take Miss Fang as your wife, it involves a great responsibility’, he was quite concerned; therefore, he said urgently, “Tell me quickly, don’t dawdle.”

Wei Xiaobao said, “I must sit down first and slowly rest before I’ll have the energy to talk.” Liu Yizhou was helpless; he had no choice but to follow Wei Xiaobao to a big tree by the forest. Seeing Wei Xiaobao sat on the tree roots, he also sat down by his side.

Wei Xiaobao sighed. “What a pity, what a pity,” he said.

Liu Yizhou immediately felt uneasy, “What do you mean ‘what a pity’?” he anxiously asked.

“What a pity your Shimei is not here,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “Otherwise, if she could sit side by side with you like this, discussing passion and talking of love with you, she would be very happy.”

Liu Yizhou was greatly delighted, he could not refrain from laughing as he asked, “How do you know?”

“I heard her personally saying it,” Wei Xiaobao said, “That day when she dropped the silver hairpin, she staked her life and braved enormous danger to rush through three palace gates heavily guarded by the Imperial Bodyguards. Although heavily injured, she managed to kill three Qing Palace’s Imperial Bodyguards, until she was finally able to retrieve that silver hairpin back. I said, ‘Miss Fang, you were very stupid, it’s just a silver hairpin, how many qian does it worth? I’ll give you a thousand taels of silver; in one breath we can easily find three, four thousand silver hairpins just like it. Even if you wear ten pins every day, different pins each day, in one year, three hundred and sixty days, you will wear new hairpins daily.’ Miss Fang said, ‘You are just a kid, what do you know? This is a gift from my dear one, Liu Shige. Even if you give me a thousand pins, ten thousand pins, gold hairpins or pearl hairpins, how can it beat this silver hairpin, or a copper hairpin, or an iron hairpin, which my dear one Liu Shige gave me?’ Liu Dage, tell me, don’t you agree that Miss Fang is muddleheaded?”

Listening to this, Liu Yizhou was beaming from ear to ear that he could not close his mouth. “Then … then why did she say different things when she was talking to Xiao Junzhu in the middle of the night?” he asked.

“You were eavesdropping outside their window in the middle of the night, weren’t you?” Wei Xiaobao asked.

Liu Yizhou blushed slightly, he said, “I wasn’t eavesdropping, I wanted to go pee in the middle of the night, and happened to hear them.”

“Liu Dage,” Wei Xiaobao said, “You are at fault here. Why didn’t you pee anywhere else, but peed outside Miss Fang’s window? Won’t it stink to high heaven and the stench overwhelm the two ‘bashful flower obstructing the moon’ ladies?”

“Yes, yes!” Liu Yizhou said, “And then what did my Fang Shimei say?”

“My tummy is very hungry,” Wei Xiaobao said, “I don’t have the energy to talk. Quickly go and buy something for me to eat. Only after I am full that I will tell you those corny, sickening words your Fang Shimei said.” He was hoping to swindle Liu Yizhou into agreeing to take him into a small town, so that he could slip away in the crowd.

“What corny, sickening words?” Liu Yizhou asked, “Fang Shimei has always been very proper, she has never said any corny, sickening words.”

“Fine, she is very proper, she has never said any corny, sickening words,” Wei Xiaobao said, “She said ‘my dear one Liu Shige’! She also said, ‘my considerate and handsome Liu Shige’. Damn it, you may not find it corny and sickening, but I was embarrassed just listening to it. Humph, she was not ashamed to speak those kinds of words.”

Liu Yizhou’s heart was in full bloom, but he said, “It’s impossible, how can Fang Shimei speak those kinds of words?”

“Fine, fine!” Wei Xiaobao said, “Just consider me speaking incorrectly. Liu Dage, I want to find something to eat, excuse me, I must leave.” While speaking, he stood up.

Listening to his story, Liu Yizhou’s heart was unbearably itchy; how could he let Wei Xiaobao leave? Hastily he gently pushed down Wei Xiaobao’s shoulder and said, “Wei Xiongdi, don’t leave too quickly! I have brought some flat cake with me as my dry rations. Why don’t you eat it first? After you are done talking, when we get to the town ahead, I will invite you to drink wine and eat some noodles to apologize to you.” While saying that, he opened the bundle he carried on his back and took several flat cakes.

Wei Xiaobao took a cake; he tore a piece and chewed it several times before saying, “This flat cake is neither salty nor sour, what kind of goodies is this? Here, try this for me.” And he handed the torn piece of flat cake back to Liu Yizhou.

Liu Yizhou said, “This cake has hardened, naturally the flavor is not too good. We’ll just have to deal with it to allay our hunger, we’ll talk about it later.” While saying that, he tore a piece and ate it.

Wei Xiaobao said, “I wonder how these cakes would taste?” He rummaged through the flat cakes to select one. After flipping around several times, he said, "Damn it, I want to go pee; I will eat later." He went to a big tree nearby, turned his body around, pulled his pants and peed. Liu Yizhou fixed his gaze on him, he was afraid Wei Xiaobao would suddenly run away. After urinating, Wei Xiaobao returned to Liu Yizhou's side, flipped around the flat cakes again, before finally he picked one, tore a piece, and ate it.

After pursuing Wei Xiaobao for half a day, Liu Yizhou was very hungry. He also took a piece of flat cake and ate it. While chewing, he said, "Could it be that Fang Shimei and Xiao Junzhu said those things to deliberately annoy me?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "I am not the roundworm inside your Fang Shimei's belly, how would I know her real intention? You are her dearly beloved Shige, how come you do not know and ask me instead?"

"Alright! Alright!" Liu Yizhou said, "I was hot-headed just now and have offended you. Just tell me, don't keep me in suspense!"

"Since that's the case, I will tell you the truth," Wei Xiaobao said, "Your Fang Shimei is very good-looking. If I were not an eunuch, I would love to take her as my wife. It's just that even if I did not take her as my wife, I am afraid it's not for you to marry her either."

"Why? Why?" Liu Yizhou anxiously asked.

"Don't be impatient," Wei Xiaobao said, "Eat some more flat cake, I will slowly tell you."

"Damn it," Liu Yizhou cursed, "You are always humming and hawing, keeping me in suspense ..." Speaking to this point, suddenly his body swayed.

"What is it?" Wei Xiaobao said, "You don't feel well? I am afraid this flat cake is not too clean."

"What?" Liu Yizhou asked. He stood up, staggered a circle, and suddenly fell down to the ground.

Wei Xiaobao laughed aloud; he kicked Liu Yizhou's buttocks once and said, "Hey! It's your own flat cake, how come there is knockout drug inside? It's very strange." Liu Yizhou made an "Oh" noise, and then lost his consciousness.

Wei Xiaobao kicked him a couple more times; seeing he was completely motionless, Wei Xiaobao pulled Liu Yizhou's belt and tied his legs firmly, and then he also tied Liu Yizhou's hands behind his back. Seeing a large boulder by the big tree, he huffed and puffed to push the boulder away, revealing a hole underneath, with a pile of loose rocks inside. Moving the loose rocks out one by one, he made a hole in the ground about four chi deep. "Laozi will bury you alive today," he said with a laugh.

Dragging Liu Yizhou to the hole, he stood him up vertically, and then he pushed the dirt and rocks back into the hole. After working steadfastly, he managed to bury Liu Yizhou up to his arm with the dirt, so that only his shoulder and head were exposed. Wei Xiaobao was very proud of himself. He went to a nearby creek, took off his long gown and soaked it in the water, then returning to Liu Yizhou, he wrung the long gown and let the creek water drenched Liu Yizhou's head.

Aroused by the cold water, Liu Yizhou slowly regained his consciousness. Temporarily he was still at a loss; he wanted to struggle, but he could not move at all. He saw Wei Xiaobao was sitting in front of him, hugging his knees and chuckling while looking at him. A moment later he finally came to his senses and realized what had happened. He struggled again, but still was not able to move the least bit. He said, "Good Xiongdi, don't play a joke on me!"

Wei Xiaobao cursed, "F*ck your mother, Laozi has many important things to do, why would I want to play a joke with a stinky thief like you?" Heavily he kicked again, Liu Yizhou's right cheek was immediately drenched with blood. Wei Xiaobao cursed again, "Miss Fang is my wife, you are not fit to even think of her. Stinky thief, you twisted Laozi's hand and hurt me real bad, you slapped my face, and used whip to strike me. Laozi will cut your ears first, and then shear your nose; I will deal with you slice by slice." While saying that, he drew out his dagger, stooped down and run the tip of the blade on Liu Yizhou's face, twice.

Liu Yizhou was scared out of his wits; he called out, "Good Xiong ... Wei ... Wei Xiongdi, Wei Xiangzhu, please consider your good relation with the Mu Palace, please raise ... please raise your hand."

Wei Xiaobao said, "From the Palace I saved you and took you out, but you actually repay my kindness with enmity, unexpectedly you wanted to kill me. Humph, humph, based on your meager ability, you want to move the dust from Taisui's[1] head? You told me to consider my good relation with the Mu Palace; when you grasped my hand just now, how come you did not consider your good relation with Tian Di Hui?"

Liu Yizhou said, "Indeed I was mistaken, Zaixia was wrong! Please ... please ... please forgive me."

Wei Xiaobao said, "I want to cut three hundred and sixty your mother's cuts on your head, to vent off the hatred in my heart!" Lifting up Liu Yizhou's braid, he cut it with his blade. The dagger was extremely sharp, with a 'swish!' the braid fell down, and then he ran the blade back and forth on Liu Yizhou's head. In a short period of time, all the hair on Liu Yizhou's head fell off that he turned into a bald man.

"Dead bald thief," Wei Xiaobao cursed, "As soon as I see a monk, laozi is angry, I must kill you!"

Liu Yizhou forced a smile as he said, "Wei Xiangzhu, Zaixia is not a monk."

"So you are not a damn monk," Wei Xiaobao cursed, "Then why did you shave your head clean? Want to deceive Laoye?" [lord or master, referring to self]

Liu Yizhou said in his heart, "Clearly it was you who shaved my head? Why do you blame me?" But since his life was in Wei Xiaobao's hands, he did not dare to argue; he had no choice but to say with a laugh, "A thousand mistakes, ten thousand mistakes, it's Xiaoren in the wrong. Wei Xiangzhu Daren is magnanimous, please do not hold it against me."

"Alright," Wei Xiaobao said, "Let me ask you then: Fang Yi, Miss Fang, whose wife is she?"

"This ... this ..." Liu Yizhou stammered.

"What this or that?" Wei Xiaobao shouted loudly, "Answer it, now!" Raising his dagger, he waved it in front of Liu Yizhou's face.

Liu Yizhou thought that a real man should not suffer disadvantage from the outset; this little demon was an eunuch anyway, just let him had small verbal advantages. Otherwise, he might brandish his dagger and then Liu Yizhou would lose a nose or an ear, then it would be bad indeed. Thereupon he busily said, "She ... naturally she is Wei Xiangzhu's ... she is Wei Xiangzhu's wife."

Wei Xiaobao laughed aloud and said, "She? She who? Speak up! Laozi cannot understand monks' mumbling speech."

Liu Yizhou said, "Fang Yi, Fang Shimei, she is Wei Xiangzhu's wife."

"Let me be clear on this," Wei Xiaobao said, "Are you or are you not my friend?"

Hearing the tone of Wei Xiaobao's voice was slacking, Liu Yizhou was delighted; he hurriedly said, "Xiaoren actually does not dare to pull myself up high. If Wei Xiangzhu is willing to treat Zaixia as a friend, Zaixia ... naturally it is what Zaixia always seek but fail to obtain."

"I regard you as a friend," Wei Xiaobao said, "In Jianghu, friends always uphold yi qi, right?"

"Yes, yes," Liu Yizhou busily said, "Good friends should uphold yi qi."

Wei Xiaobao said, "A friend's wife, you must not touch. If in the future you act like a thief toward my wife, speaking nonsense, then what will happen? I want you make an oath!"

Liu Yizhou groaned inwardly, he realized he had fallen into Wei Xiaobao's trick. Wei Xiaobao said, "It's alright if you don't want to make an oath. I knew it all along that you are sneaky, always harbor malicious intentions, and with heart and soul you want to take liberties with women, you want to fool around with my wife."

Wei Xiaobao waved his dagger again, Liu Yizhou saw flickering white light in front of his eyes. "No, no," he hastily said, "Toward Wei Xiangzhu's wife, Zaixia definitely does not dare to harbor any evil intentions."

Wei Xiaobao said, "If you ever cast one more glance to Miss Fang in the future, speak one more word to her, then what will happen?"

Liu Yizhou said, "Then ... then let the Heaven punish me, the Earth extinguish me."

"Then you are a turtle bast@rd!" Wei Xiaobao said.

With a bitter smile Liu Yizhou said, "Right, right!"

"Right what?" Wei Xiaobao said, "Your fart is right?" He put the tip of his dagger onto Liu Yizhou's right eyelid.

Liu Yizhou said, "If in the future I cast one more glance to Fang Shimei, speak one more word to her, then I am a turtle bast@rd!"

Wei Xiaobao laughed aloud. "Since that's the case," he said, "I'll spare you. I'll drench your head with my pee first, then I'll let you go." Finished speaking, he put the dagger back into his boot, and untied his belt with both hands.

Suddenly from the forest came a female voice, "You ... you are bullying people too far!"

Wei Xiaobao recognized it as Fang Yi's voice; he was pleasantly surprised. Turning his head around, he saw three people come out of the forest; the first to appear was indeed Fang Yi, with Mu Jianping and Xu Tianchuan behind her. A moment later, two more people came out, they were none other than Wu Lishen and Ao Biao.

These five people had been hiding in the forest for quite a long time; they heard everything Wei and Liu, two people's conversation. Seeing Wei Xiaobao was about to pee on Liu Yizhou's head, which would result in deep, unsolvable resentment, Fang Yi could not bear not to shout to stop him.

Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, "Turns out you are already here. Looking at Wu Laoyezi's face, you are exempt from being soaked with urine."

Xu Tianchuan hurriedly came over and with both hands pushed aside the rocks and dirt surrounding Liu Yizhou's body. He wrapped his arms around Liu Yizhou and lifted him up, then he untied the belt binding Liu Yizhou's hands and feet. Liu Yizhou was unbearably ashamed; he lowered his head and did not dare to meet anybody's eyes.

Wu Lishen's face turned ashen as he said, "Liu Xianzhi [worthy nephew], our lives were saved by Wei Xiangzhu, how can you repay kindness with enmity, relying on power to bully the weak? You beat him, your cursed him, and you twisted his arm. If your Shifu find out, how would you explain to him?" He was speaking and shaking his head at the same time, the tone of his voice showed that he was very upset. He continued, "Living in Jianghu, we pay most particular attention to these two characters 'yi qi'; how can you use force toward a good friend, to fight over a woman's affection? Forgetting favor and violating justice, that was an action even lower than a pig or a dog!" While saying that, 'Pei!' he spat on the ground. The more he spoke, the angrier he got; he said, "Last night, in the middle of the night, like an explosion of thunder you rushed out, everybody knew something was wrong, thus we went looking for you all the way. You slapped Wei Xiangzhu's cheek red and swollen, you twisted his arm, you threatened his throat with the tip of a dagger; if you slipped and unexpectedly harmed his life, how would you answer to that?"

---

[1] Dictionary says Taisu is God of the year/archaic name for planet Jupiter/someone who is the most powerful in an area.

[foxs]

Liu Yizhou indignantly said, "A life for a life, I'll simply pay for his life with mine."

Wu Lishen angrily said, "Hey, is it that easy? What kind of hero or warrior are you? Do you think you can pay for one of Tian Di Hui's ten Xiangzhu, Wei Xiangzhu's life with yours? Besides, where did you get your life from? Wasn't it because of Wei Xiangzhu's help? You are not grateful and seeking to repay the kindness, other people are already looking down on you; unexpectedly you dare to fight Wei Xiangzhu?"

When he was forced by Wei Xiaobao to make an oath, Liu Yizhou's life was hanging on Wei Xiaobao's hand; hence he did not any choice but to comply. But now that he was free, he realized that all these speeches were heard by Fang Yi; the shame and resentment he felt in his heart was indeed difficult to bear. Although Wu Lishen was his martial uncle, listening to his endless prattle in lecturing him, he could not stop his shame from turning into anger. Hardening his heart, he said harshly, "Wu Shishu, what's done is done. Not even one hair of the one surnamed Wei is injured. You, Senior, can do whatever you want to do to me!"

Wu Lishen jumped up in anger, pointing his finger to Liu Yizhou's face he roared, "Liu Yizhou, you are this disrespectful toward your own Shishu. You want to fight me, don't you?"

"I did not say that," Liu Yizhou replied, "I am not your match anyway."

Wu Lishen was even more angry; with a stern voice he said, "If your martial art skill surpasses mine, you are definitely going to fight me, aren't you? In the Qing Palace you were greedy for life, afraid of death. As soon as you heard we were going to be beheaded, you busily begged for mercy in loud voice, hurriedly announced your real name and surname. Considering Liu Shige's face, I sealed my lips and did not say anything about this matter. Humph, humph! Just consider yourself lucky you are not my disciple." It was obvious he was saying that if you were my disciple, I would have killed you with a blade.

Hearing his shameful act as he cowardly begged for mercy in the Qing Palace was exposed, Liu Yizhou hung his head low, his face paled, he did not dare to say anything.

Knowing that he had gained the upper hand, Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, "Alright, alright. Wu Laoyezi, Liu Dage was only fooling around with me, please don't take it seriously. I want to ask a favor from you: about the past matter, please don't tell Liu Laoyezi."

Wu Lishen said, "Since Wei Xiangzhu has instructed such, I will do as told." Turning his head toward Liu Yizhou, he said, "Did you see that? Wei Xiangzhu is putting important matter first, showing his great magnanimity.”

Wei Xiaobao turned toward Fang Yi and Mu Jianping, he laughed and said, “How did you come here?”

“Come here,” Fang Yi said, “I have something I want to tell you.”

With a giggle Wei Xiaobao came over. Seeing Fang Yi showing that kind of affection toward Wei Xiaobao in front of everybody else, Liu Yizhou’s hand grabbed the handle of his saber; he almost could not restrain himself from pulling the saber, charging forward and fighting Wei Xiaobao to the death. Suddenly he heard a slap, Wei Xiaobao was slapped on the face, a hard and burning slap.

Wei Xiaobao was startled, he jumped back several steps, his hand rubbed his cheek. “You … why did you hit me?” he angrily asked.

Fang Yi raised her willow-shaped eyebrows, her face flushed of anger. “What do you take me for?” she angrily said, “What did you tell Liu Shige? You insulted me as frivolous and lowly behind my back?”

“I did not say any … any bad words,” Wei Xiaobao said.

“You still deny it?” Fang Yi said, “I heard everything. You … both of you are not good men.” In her anger and anxiety, she burst into tears.

Xu Tianchuan thought that this was young people's problem, not an important matter at all, but the friendship between Tian Di Hui and Mu Palace must not be harmed; thereupon he laughed aloud and said, "Wei Xiangzhu and Liu Shixiong were just having misunderstanding, which has been straightened up. Old man Xu is starving, let us quickly find a restaurant, let's eat, drink, and be merry."

Suddenly a northeasterly wind blew, carrying with it raindrops as big as soybeans. Xu Tianchuan looked up to the sky and said, "For no rhyme or reason the tenth month weather has sent us this rain; it's really unseemly." Seeing the black clouds rolled in from the northeast, he said, "I am afraid this rain will not be light, we'd better look for a place to take shelter."

The seven of them continued their journey along the main road heading west. Fang Yi and Mu Jianping had not fully recovered yet, they had to walk slowly. The rain was getting heavier and heavier, while along the way there was not even a farmhouse or a pavilion. Not too long afterwards, all seven of them were completely soaked. Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, "Let us walk slowly. Walking fast, we will look like chicken falling in the soup, walking slow, we will look like duck falling in the soup; there is no difference anyway."

After walking for quite a while, the seven of them heard the sound of water, they had reached the river bank. They saw about half a li upstream there was a small hut. The seven people were delighted, they hastened toward the hut. When they were near, they saw that the hut was actually a broken-down temple with its wall askew to the east and fell to the west. But although it was broken-down, to take shelter from the rain, this temple was actually better than nothing. The temple gate had already been rotten a long time ago. As soon as they entered, a moldy smell assaulted their nostrils.

After walking for a while, the wound on Fang Yi's chest was really hurting; she could not help but knitting her brows and clench her teeth. Xu Tianchuan tore apart several broken-down table and chairs and built fire, so that everybody could dry their clothes. They saw the black clouds in the sky gathered thicker and thicker, the rain was getting heavier and heavier. From his bundle Xu Tianchuan produced several dry flatbreads and handed them around. Liu Yizhou stuffed the stub of what's left of his pigtail into his hat, it was barely enough to make a braid. With a chuckle Wei Xiaobao looked to the left and to the right.

With a laugh Mu Jianping asked Wei Xiaobao, "Just now, what trick did you play onto Liu Shige's flat cakes?"

Wei Xiaobao stared at her, "I did not!" he said, "What trick can I play?"

"Humph, still don't want to admit it?" Mu Jianping said, "How could Liu Shige be hit by knockout drug and lose his consciousness?"

"He was hit by knockout drug?" Wei Xiaobao said, "When? How come I did not know? It can't be, isn't he sitting nicely by the fire to warm himself?"

"Pei!" Mu Jianping spat; feigning anger, she said, "You play dumb, I won't talk to you."

Sitting on the side, Fang Yi was also filled with doubts. When Liu Yizhou grabbed Wei Xiaobao and so on earlier, they were still quite far away, nobody saw it clearly. Afterwards they saw Liu and Wei, two men, were sitting side by side, talking under the tree, hence they quietly walked on tiptoe to hide in the forest. They saw all the flat cakes were taken out by Liu Yizhou from his own bundle, plus Liu Yizhou's eyes had never left Wei Xiaobao at all, tu guard against him running away. How could it be that in the blink of an eye Liu Yizhou suddenly lose his consciousness and fell down?

Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, “Perhaps Liu Shixiong suffers from epilepsy, suddenly it flared-up and he fainted.”

Liu Yizhou was furious, he suddenly sprang up; pointing his finger to Wei Xiaobao he shouted, “You … you little …”

Fang Yi cast Wei Xiaobao a glance. “Come here,” she said.

“You are going to hit me, I don’t want to come,” Wei Xiaobao said.

“You must not say anything bad about Liu Shige,” Fang Yi said, “Even young children must cultivate propriety of speech.” Wei Xiaobao stuck out his tongue and no longer say anything.

Seeing twice had Fang Yi stood up for him, Liu Yizhou was very relieved inwardly; he mused, “This little demon is crafty and spoiled, Fang Shimei is actually still very good to me.”

The sky gradually darkened. The seven of them sat around the fire. The broken-down temple was leaking everywhere, very few spots were dry. Suddenly the top of Wei Xiaobao’s head was drenched, water was dripping onto his shoulder; he scooted to the left, but the left side was also wet. “Come here,” Fang Yi said, “It’s not leaking over here.” After a short pause, she added, “Don’t be afraid, I am not going to hit you.” Wei Xiaobao laughed, he moved to her side.

Fang Yi puckered her lips and whispered on Mu Jianping’s ear, she spoke few sentences in low voice. Immediately Mu Jianping laughed; she nodded, and then also puckered her lips and whispered on Wei Xiaobao’s ear, “Fang Shijie says, she and you are on the same side; just now she hit you, rebuked you, telling you not to offend Liu Shige, she asked if you understand her meaning?”

Wei Xiaobao also whispered on her ear, “What do you mean ‘on the same side’? I don’t understand.”

Mu Jianping passed on his words to Fang Yi. Fang Yi cast a glance to him, then she said to Mu Jianping, “I have made an oath, calling a curse on myself, I am bound by the oath forever. Tell him not to worry.”

Mu Jianping passed on her words to him. Wei Xiaobao then whispered on Mu Jianping’s ear, “Miss Fang and I are on the same side, but what about you?”

Mu Jianping blushed. “Pei!” she spat, and raised her hand to hit him. Wei Xiaobao laughed while leaning sideways to evade. He repeatedly nodded to Fang Yi. Fang Yi appeared to be smiling, yet she was not smiling; she appeared to be angry, but she was not angry. Illuminated by the fire, she looked unspeakably sweet and pretty. Smelling the faint fragrance coming from these two ladies’ bodies, Wei Xiaobao was very happy.

Liu Yizhou was sitting quite some distance away from these three people, he craned his neck trying to listen; he vaguely heard ‘Liu Shige’ and ‘on the same side’, other than those words, he could not hear anything else. Seeing the three of them were laughing and giggling intimately – obviously they were treating him as an outsider, he could not stop jealousy and hatred from appearing together in his heart.

Again Fang Yi said in low voice to Mu Jianping's ear, "Ask him, how did he actually make Liu Shige lost his consciousness?"

Seeing Fang Yi's face showed that she was really curious, Wei Xiaobao quietly told Mu Jianping, "When I went peeing, I turned my back against him, my left hand grabbed a handful of knockout drug. When I turned back to check the flat cakes, I applied the drug powder onto the cakes. The cake that I ate, I picked it with my right hand, my left hand did not touch it at all. Do you understand?"

"So that's how you did it," Mu Jianping said.

After she passed on the message to Fang Yi, Fang Yi asked, "Where did you get the knockout drug from?"

"The Imperial Bodyguards in the Palace gave it to me," Wei Xiaobao replied, "To rescue your Liu Shige, that was the drug that I used." By this time the rain was really heavy, the sound of water crashing down on the roof was so loud that Wei Xiaobao’s lips had to touch Mu Jianping’s ear before his voice could be heard.

Liu Yizhou was very restless, suddenly he stood up, his back happened to bump heavily on the pillar. ‘Crack! Crash!’ suddenly several tiles from the roof above him fell down. This broken-down temple was already decayed; soaked by the heavy rain, blown by the north wind, it was unable to withstand. One after another the beams, tiles, bricks and mortars fell down.

“Not good,” Xu Tianchuan called out, “This temple is about to collapse; everybody out!” All seven of them rushed out of the temple. Before taking several steps, they heard loud rumbling noise as most of the temple’s roof collapsed, followed by almost half of the wall also came down.

Right this moment, they heard the sound of hooves beat, a dozen or so horses galloped from the southeast and in just a short moment arrived at the temple. In the dark of the night they could see the indistinct shadows of the riders. An old-sounding voice said, “Aiyo, originally there was a small temple in here where we can take shelter from the rain, but unfortunately it has collapsed.”

Another man asked with a loud voice, “Hey, fellows, what are you doing in here?”

“We were taking shelter from the rain in the temple,” Xu Tianchuan replied, “Then this temple collapsed, it almost crushes us to our death.”

“Damn it,” another man on horseback cursed, “It’s such a heavy rain, Laotianye [God/Heavens] must be crazy.”

Yet another man said, “Zhao Laosan [ol’ Zhao the third], other than this small temple, is there any other building nearby? Or some caves, maybe?”

The old-sounding voice replied, “There is … there is some, but it’s almost as bad as there is not.”

A big man cursed, “Your granny, there is or there is not?”

“Northwest of this place,” the old man replied, “There is a valley with a haunted house in it, there are evil spirits there, nobody dares to enter; isn’t it about the same as there is not?”

The men on the horseback loudly laughed and swore, “Laozi is not afraid of haunted house. Evil spirits are the best, we can catch some for dessert.”

Another man shouted, “Quickly lead the way! We are not taking a bath, you think it’s nice to soak in this heavy rain?”

“Gentlemen,” Zhao Laosan said, “The old man does not dislike long life, I do not dare to go. I advise you not to go either. Northwest of here, about thirty li away, there is a small town.”

The men on the horseback all said, “This is such a heavy rain, how can we endure it for thirty more li? Just stop talking nonsense, we have strength in numbers, why do we have to be afraid of some ghosts?”

“Very well,” Zhao Laosan said, “Just go northwest, after rounding a bend, follow the mountain road entering a valley, and walk along that path; you can’t possibly miss …” Without waiting for him to finish, the people urged their horses to gallop toward the northwest. Zhao Laosan was riding a donkey. He hesitated for a moment, and then he pulled the animal’s head and turned it back to the southeast.

“Wu Er Ge [second older brother], Wei Xiangzhu,” Xu Tianchuan asked, “What do we do?”

“I think …” Wu Lishen started, but suddenly remembered that it was Wei Xiaobao who should make the decision; thereupon he said, “I am asking for Wei Xiangzhu’s instruction, what should we do?”

Wei Xiaobao was afraid of ghosts, it’s just that he was unable to say it. He said, “Why don’t Wu Dashu [big uncle] decide? I don’t have any idea.”

“Evil spirit is nothing,” Wu Lishen said, “It’s all country folks talking nonsense. Even if there is indeed a ghost, we can stake everything to fight him.”

“Some ghosts are invisible,” Wei Xiaobao said, “By the time we can see them, it’s already too late.” The implication was clear: he was afraid of ghosts.

Liu Yizhou loudly said, “Why should we fear demons and ghosts? If we are drenched in this rain for one more hour, everybody will be sick.”

Wei Xiaobao saw Mu Jianping was shivering continuously, obviously it was hard for her to endure. He also did not want to show any weakness in front of Fang Yi, and thus lost to Liu Yizhou, thereupon he said, “Alright, let us go together! If we see evil spirit, we must be careful!”

Following Zhao Laosan’s direction, the seven of them went northwest and entered the valley. It was dark and they could not see the road, but through the white curtain of falling rain, they saw cascading water in the forest. Wei Xiaobao said, “We can’t see the road, this is called ‘Ghost Wall’, the evil spirit is bewitching us.”

Xu Tianchuan said, “That cascading water is the road, water from the mountain is flowing down along the mountain path."

“Exactly!” Wu Lishen said, while stepping on the waterfall going upward. The rest of them followed behind him going up the hill.

To the left of them they heard the neigh of the horses, so they knew those dozen or so riders must be on that side. Xu Tianchuan mused, “I wonder what those men’s background is.” But he thought that with he and Wu Lishen joined hands, even a dozen or so ordinary martial art masters should not give them any trouble, thereupon he stepped on the water, climbing up and going down into the forest.

It was even darker inside the forest, they heard the ‘Bang! Bang! Bang!’ of a door being knocked straight ahead, so they knew there was indeed a building out there. Wei Xiaobao was scared but delighted, suddenly he felt someone stretching out a hand to pull his hand, the palm of the hand was soft, and then someone whispered gently on his ear, “Don’t be afraid!” It was none other than Fang Yi.

[foxs]

They heard the knocking continued, but nobody opened the door. The seven of them came near, and saw a wide expanse of a building in the pitch-black night. The riders shouted at the top of their lungs, “Open the door, open the door! We are seeking shelter from the rain!” But even after shouting for a long while, there was not the least bit of response from inside the house. A man said, “Nobody lives here!” Another man said, “Zhao Laosan said it is a haunted house; who dare to live here? Just jump over the wall!” White light flickered, two men unsheathed their weapons and jumped over the wall, and then they opened the gate from the inside. Everybody rushed in.

Xu Tianchuan thought, “Obviously these men are Wulin people, but apparently their martial art skill is not too high.” The seven of them followed in.

Inside the gate, there was a very big courtyard, further in, there was the main hall. Someone took oilcloth bundle from his pocket, he untied it and took out a fire knife and a flint to light a fire. Seeing a candle on the table in the hall, he lighted it. Suddenly seeing a bright light appeared before their eyes, everybody felt a peal of delight and comfort. They also noticed that the tables, chairs and small side tables in the hall were made of red sandalwood, unexpectedly it was the style of a rich family’s home. Xu Tianchuan mused, “There’s no dust on the furniture, the ground is swept this clean, but how can there be no one in the house?”

He heard one of the men said, “This hall is very clean, someone must have lived here.” Another man raised his voice to call out, “Hello! Hello! Is anybody home? Is anybody home?” The hall was large and the ceiling high, as he shouted, there was a faint echo. When the echo stopped, other than the sound of the rain, all around them there was no other noise. Everybody looked at each other in dismay, they all felt rather strange.

A white-haired elderly man asked Xu Tianchuan, “Are you all Jianghu friends?”

“Zaixia surnamed Xu,” Xu Tianchuan replied, “These several people are my family and relatives. We are going to Shanxi to visit a family; unexpectedly we came across this heavy rain. Daguanye [high-ranking official master], what is your honorable surname?”

The elderly man nodded; seeing there was an old man, a boy and a couple of women among these seven people, he did not feel suspicious at all, but he did not answer the question either. He said, “This house is a little bit strange.”

One of the men shouted, “Is there anybody here? Are you all dead?” He waited for a moment, but still nobody replied.

The elderly man sat on a chair and pointed to six men and said, “The six of you go to the rear and take a look!” The six men pulled out their weapons and went toward the back of the house. Bending down their waists slightly, they walked very slowly inside, their expressions were rather fearful. The people in the hall heard doors being kicked and unceasing shouts of questions, but nothing unusual happened. The noise went farther and farther, obviously the house was enormous, so that for a moment they had not reached the end of it.

The elderly man pointed to four more men and said, “Go find some firewood and make torches, then follow them inside.” The four men complied and left.

Wei Xiaobao and the others, seven people, were sitting on the ledge of a long window in the hall, nobody said anything. Xu Tianchuan noticed that as ten of the men went inside, there were eight people left in the hall, they all wore cloth gowns, their appearance looked like gang members of some underground gang, or some escorts from an escort agency, except they were not carrying anything to be escorted. For the time being he was unclear of these men’s background.

Wei Xiaobao could not bear not to ask, “Jiejie, do you think there’s ghost in this house?”

Before Fang Yi could answer, Liu Yizhou preceded her by saying, “Of course there is a ghost! What place never has anybody die there? When there are dead people, there will be ghosts.” Wei Xiaobao shivered, he shrank his body smaller. Liu Yizhou continued, “All malicious ghosts in the world bully the virtuous and fear the wicked, especially confused child. Adults’ yang chi [yang (positive, male) life-force or energy flow] is abundant; hangman ghosts, big-head ghosts, all do not dare to provoke adults.”

Fang Yi stretched out her hand from her sleeve to grab Wei Xiaobao’s left hand; she said, “People are afraid of ghosts, but ghosts are even more afraid of people. As soon as there is light, the ghost will run away.”

They heard footsteps, the six people who went inside first had returned to the hall with very strange expression on their faces; all of them talked at once, “Not a single soul in here, but everywhere is swept clean.” “There were beddings on the beds, and shoes under the beds, all women’s.” “All the clothes in the wardrobes are also women’s, there is not a single men’s clothing!”

In a loud voice Liu Yizhou shouted, “Female ghosts! All ghosts in this house are female ghosts!” They all turned their heads to look at him; for a moment, nobody made any noise.

Suddenly they heard strange shouts of the four men who went in later, the elderly man sprang up from his chair. He was just about to rush inside to their rescue when those four men rushed back into the main hall, the torches in their hands were extinguished; they shouted, “Dead men, a lot of dead men!” Their faces had frightened look.

Staying calm and collected, the elderly man said, “Much fuss about nothing. I thought you met with the enemy. Dead men; what’s there to be afraid of?”

“We are not afraid,” one man replied, “It’s just … it’s just bizarre.”

“What’s so bizarre?” the elderly man asked.

Another man replied, “In the east wing, all the rooms are … are mourning hall for dead people; I don’t know how many are there.”

The elderly man hesitated and then asked, “Are there any dead bodies and coffins?”

Two of the men looked at each other, they answered together, “We did not … did not see clearly, perhaps not.”

The elderly man said, “Light more torches, we will go take a look together. Perhaps this is an ancestral hall, which is very common.” Although he tried to play it down, the tone of his voice sounded very apprehensive, apparently he was fully aware that ordinary ancestral hall would not be like this. The men, his subordinates, tore down tables and chairs in the main hall and lighted them as torches, and then they all rushed toward the rear courtyard.

Xu Tianchuan said, “I’ll go to take a look, everybody, please wait here.” And he followed behind the men.

“Shifu,” Ao Biao asked, “Which group [lit. ‘way’] do these people belong to?”

Wu Lishen shook his head, “I can’t see it,” he said, “From their accents, it appears that they are people from Lu Dong, east of Shanhai Pass region, they don’t look like eagle claws of the six-leafed gate. Could they be smugglers? But I did not see them carrying any goods.”

Liu Yizhou said, “Nothing serious about that group of men. On the contrary, the large number of female ghosts in this house maybe very difficult to deal with!” Finished speaking, he stuck his tongue out in the direction of Wei Xiaobao.

Wei Xiaobao shivered, he tightly grip Fang Yi’s hand, his palm was wet with cold sweat. With a trembling voice Mu Jianping said, “Liu … Liu Shige, can you stop scaring other people?”

“Xiao Junzhu,” Liu Yizhou said, “You do not need to be afraid, you are a golden branch, jade leaf [nobility], any evil spirit sees you, it will go far away, it won’t dare to disturb you. The ones evil spirits detest the most are neither men nor women, court eunuchs.” Fang Yi raised her willow-shaped eyebrows, her face carried an angry expression, she was about to speak, but in the end she restrained herself.

After a long time, they heard footsteps as everybody returned to the main hall. Wei Xiaobao let out a relieved breath. Xu Tianchuan said in a low voice, “Seven or eight rooms, a total of more than thirty mourning halls. Each mourning hall has five or six sacrificial offerings, seven or eight memorial tablets. It looks like each mourning hall is dedicated to dead people of one family.”

“Hey, hey,” Liu Yizhou said, “Won’t that mean this house has several hundred evil spirits?”

Xu Tianchuan shook his head; he was an experienced and knowledgeable man, but he had never heard of such a strange thing. A moment later, he slowly said, “The strangest thing is that in front of each mourning hall there was a lighted candle.” Wei Xiaobao, Fang Yi and Mu Jianping, three people cried out in fear together.

One of the men said, “When we went in before, the candles were clearly not lighted.”

“Are you sure?” the elderly man asked. The four men looked at each other, they all shook their heads.

The elderly man said, “It’s not ghost. We are encountering a person of high skill. In an instant he was able to light more than thirty candles on the mourning halls; his movement must be very fast. Xu Laoyezi, don’t you think so?” The last sentence was addressed to Xu Tianchuan.

Xu Tianchuan feigned ignorance; he said, “Perhaps we have offended the master of this house. There is no harm … no harm in us going to the mourning hall and … and kowtow several times.”

Amidst the noise of the rain, from the east wing suddenly came the sound of several women wailing, the voice was very mournful; although the sound of the heavy rain was very loud, these wailings could be heard very clearly. Wei Xiaobao was so scared that his mouth was wide open and he was speechless, his countenance changed greatly. Everybody else looked at each other in shock, they were all absolutely horrified. A moment later, from the west wing came the sound of a woman weeping in grief. Liu Yizhou, Ao Biao, as well as two of the men cried out together, “Weeping Ghost!”

“Humph!” the elderly man snorted; suddenly he said in a loud voice, “We are passing by your residence and stop by to take shelter from the rain, and thus trespass your precious residence. I hereby apologize. Would worthy host be willing to grant this request?” His voice was backed by abundant chi, it could travel very far.

After a long time, there was not the slightest response from the back. The elderly man shook his head, and then in a loud voice said, “Since the host is not willing to receive uncouth guests, we have no choice but to disturb without permission. We are taking shelter from the rain in this hall. As soon as it is dawn and the rain stops, everybody will hasten on our journey.” Finished speaking, he made a hand signal telling everybody not to make any noise, while he inclined his head sideways to listen.

A long time passed, they no longer heard the sound of wailing or weeping. A man said in low voice, “Zhang Sanye [third master], I don’t care if he is a human or a ghost, come daybreak, we’ll set fire and burn this damn house to the ground.”

The elderly man shook his hand and said, “We have not accomplished our important mission, we must not add another problem. Sit down and rest!”

Everybody’s clothes was wet, thereupon they built fire in the main hall. Someone took out a wine gourd, pulled the plug and handed it over to the elderly man to drink.

The elderly man drank several mouthful of wine, then he cast a sidelong glance to Xu Tianchuan for half a day before saying, “Xu Laoyezi, you are all from one family, how come your accents are not the same? You are from the Capital, but these several people are from Yunnan?”

Xu Tianchuan laughed and said, “Laoyezi has very good hearing, obviously you are a Jianghu veteran. My oldest Meizi [younger sister] got married in Yunnan. This is my Meifu [younger sister’s husband].” He pointed to Wu Lishen, and then continued, “My Meifu and their children are Yunnan people. My second Meizi got married in Shanxi. Southern sky, northern earth [meaning: far apart], for several decades we rarely see each other even for once. This time we are going to Shanxi to visit my second Meizi.” When he called Wu Lishen his Meifu, he was actually honoring him. At that time, according to custom of the people of northern China, calling people ‘older maternal uncle’ or ‘younger maternal uncle’ was considered cursing him.

The elderly man nodded. He drank another mouthful of wine. Squinting his eyes, he said, “Are you all from Beijing?”

“Exactly,” Xu Tianchuan replied.

The elderly man said, “Along the way, did you see a thirteen, fourteen years old little eunuch?”

As soon as he said that, Xu Tianchuan and the others’ heart skipped a beat; fortunately the elderly man had his gaze only toward Xu Tianchuan. But Xu Tianchuan’s face did not reveal anything. Ao Biao and Mu Jianping’s countenances changed, but nobody paid them any attention. Xu Tianchuan said, “Did you say eunuch? In Beijing, old eunuchs, little eunuchs, there are so many of them. As soon as I left home, I would come across several eunuchs."

The elderly man said, "I asked you if you saw one along the way, not in Beijing."

Xu Tianchuan laughed and said, "Laoyezi, that is out of question. According to the Great Qing's rule, when an eunuch leaves the Capital, he is committing a major crime. Court eunuchs are not like during the Ming Dynasty, with full power and prestige; nowadays, which eunuch dares to leave the Capital for even one step?"

"Oh," the elderly man said, "Perhaps he is in disguise?"

Xu Tianchuan repeatedly shook his head, "I don't think he has that kind of guts!" he said. After a short pause, he asked, "Laoyezi, which little eunuch are you looking for? When I return to Beijing after visiting my relatives in Shanxi, I can help you make the inquiry."

"Humph, humph," the elderly man said, "Thank you very much, but I am not sure if I will live that long." Finished speaking, he closed his eyes and no longer speak.

Xu Tianchuan thought, "He is inquiring about a thirteen, fourteen year's old little eunuch; isn't that Wei Xiangzhu? These men are not from Tian Di Hui or Mu Palace, eight or nine out of ten, they do not have any good intention, I must investigate clearly. He does not ask further, we must ask him further." Thereupon he said, "Laoyezi, among the little eunuchs in Beijing, only one is very famous. His great name has spread all over the world, I believe you have also heard about him, he is the one who killed that treacherous minister Oboi, the one who set up great merit."

The elderly man opened his eyes and said, "Mm, are you talking about Xiao Guizi, Gui Gong-gong?"

"Who else but him?" Xu Tianchuan said, "This man has guts and is very brave, exceptionally skillful in martial arts, he is really amazing!"

"What does he look like?" the elderly man asked, "Have you seen him?"

"Ha," Xu Tianchuan said, "This Gui Gong-gong strolls around Beijing streets every day. Among Beijing people, I am afraid only a few have never seen him. This Gui Gong-gong is dark and fat, he is quite a plump fellow, he is at least seventeen, eighteen years old; nobody would take him for a fourteen-year-old."

Fang Yi's hand, which was holding Wei Xiaobao's hand tightened; Mu Jianping gently nudged his back with her elbow, they were laughing in their hearts. At first Wei Xiaobao was afraid of the ghosts, but as he heard the elderly man inquiring about himself, he was so busy scheming in his heart that he forgot his fear of the ghosts.

"Is that right?" the elderly man said, "What I heard is quite different. I heard this Gui Gong-gong is only thirteen, fourteen-year-old little boy, very crafty and smart; perhaps he looks 30% like your nephew [orig. wai sheng - sister's son or wife's sibling's son]. Ha ha, ha ha!" While saying that, he looked at Wei Xiaobao.

Liu Yizhou suddenly said, "I heard that Xiao Guizi is despicable and shameless; all he can do is using the knockout drugs. He was able to kill Oboi, because he had used the drug first, otherwise, this little thief is a coward and afraid of ghosts, how could he succeed in killing Oboi?" Turning to Wei Xiaobao, he chuckled and said, "Cousin [orig. biaodi - younger maternal cousin], don't you agree?"

Wu Lishen was angry; he sent a backhand palm toward Liu Yizhou's face. Liu Yizhou lowered his head to evade, his left foot sprang, his body rose up. Wu Lishen's backhand palm strike was the move 'jade fowl spreading its wings', Liu Yizhou's dodging and springing up was the move 'golden horse neighing into the wind'; both styles belonged to the Mu Family Fist Technique. One struck rapidly, the other dodged quickly, unwittingly they both used their school's unique skills.

[foxs]

The elderly man surnamed Zhang suddenly sprang up and said with a laugh, "Good! You all disguise yourselves really well!" As soon as he stood up, the dozen or so of his men also sprang up. The elderly man barked his order, "Take them all! Don't let even a single one escape!"

Wu Lishen pulled out a short saber from his bosom, his big head shook to the left, he hacked down a man, he shook to the right, the saber cut another man's throat, sending him down to the ground.

The elderly man drew a pair of judge-pens from his waist; brandishing them together, the pens made swishing noise. The left-hand pen pointing toward Wu Lishen's throat, the right-hand pen moved toward the pit of Xu Tianchuan's stomach. With one move attacking two people, his movement was very fast.

Xu Tianchuan dashed to the right, his left hand clawed a man's eyes. As the man tossed his head back to evade, the saber in his hand was snatched away, suddenly he felt sharp pain on his waist as his own saber had penetrated his own belly. On the other side, Ao Biao was fighting with a man. After hesitating slightly, Liu Yizhou untied his flexible whip and charged forward to join the battle.

Although the other side had more people, the elderly man was the only one who could face Wu Lishen in an evenly matched battle, the rest of them only had mediocre martial art skill. Wei Xiaobao could see this small advantage clearly; he thought, "As long as I don't come across that old tortoise, I might be able to handle the rest of them." Holding the dagger in his hand, he wanted to charge forward.

Fang Yi pulled his back and said, "Our victory is decided, you don't have to help."

Wei Xiaobao mused, "I know our victory is decided, which was why I went forward. If we would definitely be lost, why would I wait here and not run away quickly?"

Suddenly they heard several swishing noise in succession, the elderly man had jumped to the side, the pair of judge-pens in his hands were rubbing against each other, the men under his command quickly squeezed behind him, very soon they had formed a square. With only several steps these men were able to move into position; more than a dozen men moved together without pushing each other, or colliding with each other, an indication that they had been trained very well and had spent a lot of time in this formation.

Xu Tianchuan and Wu Lishen were startled, they withdrew several steps back. Ao Biao charged forward courageously. Suddenly from the square formation four sabers went out together, two hacked toward his shoulder, two hacked toward his leg; the coordination was really ingenious. Simultaneously, two spears coming out of the formation to meet Ao Biao's saber. "Ah!" Ao Biao cried out, his shoulder was hit by a saber.

"Biao'er, step back!" Wu Lishen called out anxiously. Ao Biao leaped backward to evade. In the blink of an eye, victory or defeat was suddenly reversed.

Xu Tianchuan stood in front of Wei Xiaobao and the two ladies to protect them; he was watching carefully how their opponents were using this formation. He saw the elderly man raised the judge-pen in his right hand and loudly called out, "Hong Jiaozhu won't be old for ten thousand years, he will forever enjoy the immortal good-fortune! His long-life is the same as the Heaven's, his long-life is the same as the Heaven's!"

The dozen or so of his men raised their weapons together and cried out, "Hong Jiaozhu's long-life is the same as the Heaven's, his long-life is the same as the Heaven's!" Their voices shook the roof-tiles; they appeared as if they were possessed.

Xu Tianchuan was aghast; he was wondering what kind of trick they were playing. As Wei Xiaobao heard the three words 'Hong Jiaozhu', he suddenly remembered Tao Hongying's terrified expression when she was mentioning those words. He blurted out, "Shen Long Jiao! They are from Shen Long Jiao!"

The elderly man's countenance changed. "You also know Shen Long Jiao's reputation!" he said. Lifting high his right hand, he shouted, "Hong Jiaozhu's magical power is extensive. Our Cult triumphs in every battle, wins every fight, no stronghold we cannot overcome, no opponent we cannot broken down. The enemy flees at mere distant sight, they will escape without a trace."

As Xu Tianchuan and the others heard each sentence, their heart trembled. They thought that these people's action was totally weird, they had never seen anything like this before; facing the enemy, unexpectedly they recited some sentences in loud voice.

Wei Xiaobao called out, "These men chanting incantations, don't fall into their trick! Everybody charge forward to kill!"

They heard the elderly man and his men were chanting quicker and quicker; it was no longer the elderly man chanted one verse and his men followed one verse, but those more than a dozen men were chanting together, "Hong Jiaozhu's magical power protects and blesses, his disciples' courage increases a hundredfold, one can fight a hundred, a hundred can fight ten thousand. Hong Jiaozhu's divine eyes are like lightning, illuminating four directions. Our disciple who kills the enemy and protects the Cult, Hong Jiaozhu considers him to be his kin, promotes him into the priesthood. Our disciple who dies in protecting the Cult will rise into the paradise!" Suddenly, with a loud shout they charged forward.

Wu Lishen, Xu Tianchuan and the others raised their weapons to meet the attack, but unexpectedly this time these men's martial art had advanced greatly; each hack of the saber, each thrust of the spear, was several times stronger than before. Like fools or mad people, they brandished their weapons randomly. Not too long afterward, Ao Biao and Liu Yizhou were cut down. One by one Wei Xiaobao, Fang Yi and Mu Jianping were also thrown down. Fang Yi suffered a leg injury, while Mu Jianping was wounded on her arm. Wei Xiaobao's back was also stabbed by a spear, luckily he was protected by his treasured vest, so that the spear did not enter his body; however, the incoming force was too heavy that he was unable to withstand and tumbled down to the ground. Before long, one after another Wu Lishen and Xu Tianchuan were also wounded. The elderly man stretched out his finger and successively sealed the vital acupoints on their bodies.

The men shouted together, "Hong Jiaozhu's magical power is extensive, his long-life is the same as the Heaven's, his long-life is the same as the Heaven's!" Finished shouting, they suddenly sat down together. Sweats gushed out of each man's forehead like spring, their breathing was heavy, as if they were utterly exhausted. In this battle, victory or defeat was decided in less than the time needed to drink a cup of tea, but it was as if these men had fought a hard battle for several hours.

Wei Xiaobao groaned silently; he thought, "Turns out these people know witchcraft, no wonder when mentioning Shen Long Jiao, Tao Gugu was so frightened like that. Indeed their magical power is extensive."

The elderly man sat on a chair and closed his eyes to regain his composure. It was quite a while later that he finally stood up. After wiping the perspiration on his forehead, he then paced back and forth in the main hall. Quite a while later, his men started to stand up one by one.

The elderly man turned toward Xu Tianchuan and the others and said, "All of you recite after me together! Listen up, I recite a sentence, you follow a sentence. Hong Jiaozhu's magical power is extensive, his long-life is the same as the Heaven's!"

Xu Tianchuan cursed, "Demonical crooked people, dress up as God, play the devil; you want laozi to follow you playing tricks? In your mother's clear autumn night's dream!" The elderly man raised his judge-pen to strike Xu Tianchuan's forehead. 'Bang!' blood gushing out from the wound. Xu Tianchuan cursed, "Dog thief, sorcerer!"

The elderly man asked Wu Lishen, "Are you going to recite or not?" Wu Lishen shook his head before answering. The elderly man raised his judge-pen again to strike his forehead.

When he asked Ao Biao, Ao Biao cursed, "Your granny's long-life is the same as the dog's!"

The elderly man was furious, his judge-pen struck down powerfully, Ao Biao immediately fainted. Wu Lishen shouted, "Biao'er is a real man! You who only know how to use witchcraft, damn it, if you have guts, just kill us all."

The elderly man raised his judge-pen and asked Liu Yizhou, "Are you going to recite or not?"

"I ... I ... I ..." Liu Yizhou stammered.

"Say it," the elderly man said, "Hong Jiaozhu's magical power is extensive, his long-life is the same as the Heaven's!"

Liu Yizhou said, "Hong Jiaozhu's ... Hong Jiaozhu's ..."

The elderly man lightly poked Liu Yizhou's forehead with the tip of his judge-pen; he shouted, "Quickly recite it!"

"Yes, yes," Liu Yizhou said, "Hong Jiaozhu's ... Hong Jiaozhu's long-life is the same as the Heaven's!"

The elderly man laughed aloud and said, "Finally, someone who knows how to take advantage of this matter. You, this kid, may receive less pain." Walking toward Wei Xiaobao, he shouted, "Little demon, recite after me."

Wei Xiaobao said, "I don't need you to recite."

"What?" the elderly man angrily said. He raised his judge-pen.

In loud voice Wei Xiaobao recited, "Wei Jiaozhu's magical power is extensive, his long-life is the same as the Heaven's, he will forever enjoy the immortal good-fortune. Wei Jiaozhu triumphs in every battle, wins every fight, no stronghold Wei Jiaozhu cannot overcome, no opponent Wei Jiaozhu cannot broken down. Wei Jiaozhu elevates everybody, everybody will ascend to paradise ..."

When saying 'Wei Jiaozhu', the word 'Wei' was spoken vaguely, it was no more than a grunt from his nostril actually; but the elderly man did not realize he was playing a trick, he thought Wei Xiaobao was saying 'Hong Jiaozhu'. Hearing Wei Xiaobao recited several lines in succession, he laughed aloud and praised him, "This child is exceptionally smart." He walked over to Fang Yi and put his hand on her chin, saying, "Hmm, this little girl's appearance is not bad. Now repeat after me nicely."

Fang Yi turned her head around. "I won't recite!" she said.

The elderly man raised his judge-pen to strike, but when he saw her beautiful face under the candle light, he could not bear to do it, so he aimed the tip of the pen to her cheek and loudly said, "Are you going to recite or not? If you say 'I won't recite' one more time, I am going to draw three lines on your cheek."

Fang Yi stubbornly refused to recite, but she did not dare to say those words 'I won't recite' out loud. "Are you going to recite or not?" the elderly man asked again.

Wei Xiaobao said, "Let me recite it for her. I guarantee it will be more pleasant to hear than if she is reciting it herself."

"Who ask you to recite for her?" the elderly man said. Raising his judge-pen, he struck Fang Yi's forehead.

"Ah!" Fang Yi cried out in pain.

Suddenly someone laughed and said, "Zhang Sanye, if this little girl does not want to recite, we can strip her clothes." The rest of the men cried out together, "Wonderful, wonderful! That's a great idea."

Liu Yizhou suddenly said, "Why would you want to bully this girl? You want to find the little eunuch, I know where he is."

"Do you?" the elderly man hastily asked, "Where is he? Tell me quickly, tell me quickly!"

Liu Yizhou said, "You must promise not to bother this miss, I will tell you. Otherwise, even if you kill me, I won't say anything."

"Shige," Fang Yi sharply said, "I don't need you to care about me."

The elderly man laughed. "Alright," he said, "I promise you I won't bother this miss."

"You have to keep your words," Liu Yizhou said.

The elderly man said, "What I say, naturally the man surnamed Zhang will keep it. That little eunuch is the one who killed Oboi, the one most favored and trusted by the Emperor, Xiao Guizi. Do you really know where he is?"

Liu Yizhou said, "Far in the horizon, but close in front of your eyes!"

The elderly man jumped up; pointing to Wei Xiaobao he said, "Is ... is ... is it him?" His face showed a mixture of surprise and delight.

Fang Yi said, "He is such a child, how can he kill Oboi? Don't listen to his nonsense."

Liu Yizhou said, "That's right, if he did not use knockout drug, how could he kill the number one warrior of Manchuria, Oboi?"

The elderly man was half believing, half doubting; he asked Wei Xiaobao, “Did you or did you not kill Oboi?”

“What if I did?” Wei Xiaobao said, “And what if I did not?”

“Your granny,” the elderly man cursed, “When I looked at you, I knew this little demon is rather demonical. Search him first, we’ll talk later.”

Two of his men immediately stepped forward and untied the bundle Wei Xiaobao carried on his back; they set each article on the table. The elderly man saw pearls, gold and jade, and all kinds of valuables. “This is definitely the goods from the Imperial Palace,” he said, “Uh … what is this?” He picked a thick wad of banknotes, and saw that each note worth either five hundred taels or one thousand taels; altogether there were no less than several hundred thousand taels. He could not help but was stupefied; he said, “Definitely not wrong, you … you are Xiao Guizi. Take him to the room that side of the building to be interrogated.”

Fang Yi anxiously said, “Don’t … don’t make things difficult for him.” ‘Wah!’ Mu Jianping broke out and cried.

A man grabbed the back of Wei Xiaobao neck, two men picked the valuables from the table, another man took the candlestick and led them all toward the eastern wing of the rear courtyard. The elderly man waved his hand and said, “All of you get out!” The four men left the room and closed the door behind them.

Beaming with joy, the elderly man did not stop rubbing his hands together while he paced back and forth along the room. He said with a laugh, “Seeking around until the iron shoes are worn out but fail to find, without spending any effort the result is obtained. Xiao Guizi Gong-gong, to be able to meet you here today, it is indeed the good fortune of three lifetimes.”

Wei Xiaobao also said with a laugh, “Zaixia can meet Laoyezi here today, it is indeed the good fortune of six lifetimes, nine lifetimes.” He thought that since they had already searched through his belongings, denying would be useless; he had to act according to the situation and see if he could get by using deceit.

The elderly man was startled; he asked, “What good fortune of six lifetimes, nine lifetimes? Gui Gong-gong, is your honorable self on your way to the Qing Liang Temple on Mount Wutai?”

Wei Xiaobao could not help but was shocked. “This old turtle knew everything,” he thought, “He won’t be easy to cope with.” Thereupon he chuckled and said, “Not only Sire’s martial art skill excels, your skill in casting spells also surpasses Maoshan Daoshi[1]. Your Shen Long Jiao’s reputation is spread all over the world, indeed there is a reason behind it. Zaixia has already heard about it a long time ago, today I can see it with my own eyes, it is worthy of my utmost admiration.” He spoke whatever came into his mind to change the subject, ignoring the original question altogether.

The elderly man asked, “Where did you hear about Shen Long Jiao’s reputation?”

Wei Xiaobao said thoughtlessly, “I heard it from Ping Xi Wang Wu Sangui’s son, Wu Yingxiong. On his father’s order he came to Beijing to pay tribute. Among his subordinates there was a warrior by the name of Yang Yizhi, and then there were several martial art experts from Jin Ding School of Liao Dong. They were talking about wiping out the Shen Long Jiao, saying that in the Shen Long Jiao there is some Hong Jiaozhu, whose magical power is extensive, the number experts under his command is extremely numerous. He had a Cult member sent to the Bordered Blue Banner’s Banner Commander’s house on a mission to obtain a copy of the ‘Forty-two-chapter sutra’. He was indeed very formidable.” Wei Xiaobao was proficient in using deceits; he knew he could not tell lies all the time. If he said nine sentences of truth and one sentence of lie, it would be much easier to deceive people.

---

[1] Lit. Taoist priest of Mount Mao (mount reeds), Maoshan is a school of Taoism that is well known for its "supernatural" rituals, e.g. exorcism etc. (Courtesy of CFT)

[foxs]

The more the elderly man heard, the more he was amazed; he had heard the names of Wu Yingxiong and Yang Yizhi. But about an important personage of his Cult being an officer under the Bordered Blue Banner’s Banner Commander, it was a top secret mission of their Cult. It was only more than a month ago that he advertently found out about it. He had also vaguely heard about a scripture called the ‘Forty-two-chapter sutra’, but as for the details, he was completely in the dark. He busily asked, “Ping Xi Wang and our Shen Long Jiao have neither resentment nor enmity, why would they want to create trouble without any reason? Speaking about ‘wiping out’, two characters, it is indeed a reckless act.”

Wei Xiaobao said, “Naturally Wu Yingxiong and the others did not have either resentment or enmity with Shen Long Jiao. Speaking about Hong Jiaozhu’s ability, they have nothing but admiration. But since Shen Long Jiao has obtained the most valuable treasure, the amazing book ‘Forty-two-chapter sutra’, they simply have to get it from you. Isn’t there a plump lady in your honorable Cult by the name of Liu Yan, Liu Dajie [big sister], working in the Palace?”

“Uh, how did you know?” the elderly man asked in amazement.

Wei Xiaobao was spouting nonsense, as long as he thought it had some connection with Shen Long Jiao, he would mention it. But his mind was racing fast, he said, “This Liu Dajie’s friendship with me is really not bad. Once she offended the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager wanted to kill her, luckily I put an effort to save her, I hid her under my bed. The Empress Dowager was looking for her everywhere in the Palace, but could not find her. This fat Dajie was very grateful for my kindness in saving her that she persuaded me to join Shen Long Jiao. She said that Hong Jiaozhu is very fond of children like me, he would surely give me great benefits in the future.”

“Um,” the elderly man was more convinced, he asked, “Why would the Empress Dowager want to kill Liu Yan? Aren’t they … aren’t in a very good term with each other?”

“Yes, they are,” Wei Xiaobao said, “They are actually Shijie, Shimei. Why would the Empress Dowager want to kill Liu Dajie then? Liu Dajie said that it was a very top secret; she did tell me, but I have promised her I will never reveal the secret, therefore, I cannot tell you about it. Anyway, just recently, to the Empress Dowager’s Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful came a man disguised as a woman, a fake palace maid. This man’s head is bald …”

“Deng Bingchun?” the elderly man blurted, “You also know when Deng Dage entered the Palace?”

Actually, Wei Xiaobao had no idea that the fake palace maid was called Deng Bingchun, but his face showed an all-knowing expression; with a smile he said, “Zhang Sanye, this is top secret, you must never reveal it in front of anybody else. Otherwise, all hell will break loose. It’s alright for you and me to talk about it, but if there were a third person in here, even if he was your most trusted aide, you absolutely cannot breathe a single word. If this matter is exposed and Hong Jiaozhu is angry, I am afraid even you yourself will have to face an enormous trouble.”

He had lived in the Palace long enough to know that in the imperial court and in the Palace, divulging a secret was a major crime; the heaviest punishment would be beheading and confiscation of the family’s property, the lightest punishment would be forever losing the opportunity to advance in his career. For this reason, everybody was very secretive, sneaky, appeared to be shrouded in profound mystery, on the surface they pretended to know everything, it’s just that it was inconvenient to tell you. When he used this trick on that old man surnamed Zhang, as expected, it was like ‘setting up a pole and see the shadow’ [instant effect], he got the desired effect on the spot. Within the clan, society, cult and sect of the Jianghu, the way the superiors control the subordinates was actually no different than the imperial court, the different was just in the degree of finesse with which that control was executed.

As soon as the elderly man heard those words, he was secretly alarmed and afraid, thinking, “How can I be this careless, that I tell this kind of matter to a kid? I must not spare this kid, when this important matter is done, I must kill him to shut his mouth.” He could not help but looked embarrassed. Forcing a laughed, he asked, “What did you talk about with our Deng Shixiong?”

Wei Xiaobao said, “What I talked about with Deng Shixiong is exactly what he wanted me to report to Hong Jiaozhu. When I see Jiaozhu in the future, naturally I will make a detail report to him.”

“Yes, yes,” the elderly man said. He was frightened by Wei Xiaobao putting on airs like that, yet he was not sure about this child’s origin, thereupon he put on an amiable manner and said, “Xiao Xiongdi, you are going to Mount Wutai, naturally to meet Deputy Chief Rui Dong, is that right?”

Wei Xiaobao thought, “He knew I am going to Mount Wutai, he also knew the Rui Dong affair; he definitely got this information from the old wh0re. The old wh0re called that bald fake palace maid as Shixiong, that bald man was an important personage of Shen Long Jiao, turns out the old wh0re is ganging up with the Shen Long Jiao. Laozi has fallen into their hands, indeed I’ve gone through nine deaths and still alive, went through eighteen death and half alive [narrow escape].” He faked an amazed expression, “Uh,” he said, “Zhang Sanye, your news is actually very quick, you even know about Deputy Chief Rui.”

The elderly man smiled and said, “I also know about someone whose background is ten thousand times more important than Deputy Chief Rui.”

Wei Xiaobao groaned inwardly, “Bad, it’s bad! The old wh0re told him everything. Other than Emperor Shunzhi, whose background is ten thousand times more important than Rui Dong?”

The elderly man said, “Xiao Xiongdi, you don’t need to conceal anything from me. You are going up Mount Wutai, are you acting under someone else’s order, or are you going on your own initiative?”

“I am an eunuch in the Palace,” Wei Xiaobao said, “If I am not acting under someone else’s order, how can I dare to leave the Capital? Do you think I dislike having a long life?”

“If that’s the case,” the elderly man said, “Was it His Majesty who sent you?”

Wei Xiaobao pretended he was surprised greatly. “His Majesty?” he said, “Did you say His Majesty? Haha, this time your source of information is inaccurate. How would His Majesty know about Mount Wutai?”

“If not His Majesty, then who sent you?” the elderly man asked.

Wei Xiaobao said, “Go ahead, guess.”

The elderly man said, “Could it be the Empress Dowager?”

Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, “Sure enough Zhang Sanye is good, one guess and you got it. In the Palace, those who know about Mount Wutai are only two people and a ghost.”

“Two people and a ghost?” the elderly man repeated.

“Precisely,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Two people: one is the Empress Dowager, the other is Zaixia. The ghost is Hai Dafu, Hai Laogong. He was killed by the Empress Dowager using the ‘Transforming Bones Soft Palm’.”

The muscles on the elderly man’s face twitched; he said, “Transforming Bones Soft Palm, Transforming Bones Soft Palm. Turns out it was the Empress Dowager who sent you. But what does the Empress Dowager want you to do?”

Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, “The Empress Dowager and you are on the same side, there is no harm in you asking her, the Senior.”

If these words were said as soon as they entered the room, the elderly man would most likely slap Wei Xiaobao on the ear; but after hearing Wei Xiaobao’s explanation earlier, his mind was confused and undecided. He muttered to himself, “Hm, the Empress Dowager sent you to Mount Wutai.”

Wei Xiaobao said, “The Empress Dowager said that she has already sent someone to report to Hong Jiaozhu about this matter, and Hong Jiaozhu has given his complete endorsement. The Empress Dowager instructed me to do this mission well, and then she will reward me handsomely, Hong Jiaozhu might also reward me with great benefit.” He repeatedly mentioned ‘Hong Jiaozhu’, three characters, since he knew the old man in front of him was extremely afraid of Hong Jiaozhu; he only needed to allude that Hong Jiaozhu held a very high regard of himself, then the old man would not dare to harm him.

With such a bluff, although the elderly man was skeptical, he would still rather believe than disbelieve; he asked, “Those six people outside, are they your subordinates, your attendants?”

“All of them are from the Palace,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “The two ladies are palace maids, the Empress Dowager’s personal attendants. The four men are Imperial Bodyguards, the Empress Dowager sent them out to help me on this mission. They don’t know anything about Shen Long Jiao. This kind of secret information, naturally the Empress Dowager would not tell them …” Speaking to this point, he noticed that the elderly man’s face showed a sneer; he knew something was not right. “What is it?” he asked, “You don’t believe me?”

With a cold laugh the elderly man said, “Yunnan’s Mu Family people are loyal to the previous Ming Dynasty, how can they enter the Palace and be Imperial Bodyguards? When you tell a lie, you should have consistency.”

Wei Xiaobao laughed aloud. The elderly man asked in consternation, “What are you laughing about?” He had never imagined that when his lie was exposed, when it was hard for him to justify himself, oftentimes Wei Xiaobao would laugh, so that the other side would feel that surely it was they who were completely mistaken, that they were being naïve and ridiculous. Now that their hearts had been emptied, when Wei Xiaobao continued to cover up a lie, the other party would not dare to press excessively.

Wei Xiaobao laughed several times and then said, “The one people of Mu Palace hate the most is neither Empress Dowager nor His Majesty. But I am afraid you don’t know anything about it.”

“How can I not know?” the elderly man said, “The one people of Mu Palace hate the most is naturally Wu Sangui.”

Wei Xiaobao feigned astonishment. “Amazing,” he said, “Zhang Sanye, I won’t conceal anything from you: the Mu Palace people are willing to work for the Empress Dowager for the purpose of having Wu Sangui executed along with his entire family unto the third generation, that even chicken and dogs of the Ping Xi Wang Mansion will not be spared. Let’s not mention there are Mu Palace people in the Imperial Palace, do you think they do not have people planted in the Ping Xi Wang Mansion? It’s just that this matter is a top secret; you and I are on the same side, so it’s alright for me to tell you, but you must never leak this secret out.”

The elderly man nodded. “So that’s how it is,” he said. But in his heart he only believed 30% after all; he pondered, “I’d better ask the people outside, see if their confession matches with his. Asking that little girl is the best, it’s easier to get the truth from little kids.” Immediately he turned around, pushed the door and walked out.

Wei Xiaobao was greatly alarmed. “Hey, hey,” he called out, “Where are you going? This is a haunted house, how … how can you leave me alone in here?”

“I will be back shortly,” the elderly man replied. Closing the door behind him, he went to the main hall in quick steps.

Wei Xiaobao’s palms were clammy. The candlelight flickered, making the shadows on the white wall trembled continuously, as if each shadow was a specter. All around him not a sound was heard.

Suddenly, from the outside came a man was shouting loudly, “Where are you all going?” It was precisely the elderly man’s voice. Wei Xiaobao was originally very frightened, after hearing the elderly man’s voice was filled with terror, he was so scared that he almost pass out. “Have they … have they all disappeared?” he called out.

He heard the elderly man loudly calling out again, “Where are you? Where have you gone?” As soon as these two sentenced were finished, silence fell.

After a while, Wei Xiaobao heard someone rushing toward him; he heard the noise of doors being kicked open one by one, and then that elderly man crashed into the room. Wei Xiaobao screamed. He saw the elderly man’s man face was devoid of any color, his eyes were bulging out, as he breathlessly said, “They … they are … are gone.”

“They … they must be captured by the malicious ghosts,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Let us … let us run away quickly!”

“This is not happening,” the elderly man said; his left hand held on to the table for support, the table was creaking, obviously in his heart he was quite frightened. He turned around and walked back to the door, opened the door wide and shouted, “Where are you? Where are you?” And then he stopped and cocked his head to listen, but in the quiet night all they could hear was the sound of several women weeping. He was at a loss of what to do, he stood at the threshold for a moment, and then took several steps backward, closed the door, picked up the door bolt and bolted the door from the inside. He saw Wei Xiaobao’s round little eyes revealed dread, as he could not take his gaze off the elderly man. He saw he was clenching his teeth, his face alternated between blue and white.

The heavy rain had stopped for a moment. Suddenly, there was an intermittent downpour sprinkled the roof, making a ‘shua, shua’ noise. “Ah,” the elderly man exclaimed, and sprang up. It was a moment later that he finally said, “It’s … raining … raining again.”

Suddenly from the main hall came a soft woman’s voice, “Zhang Laosan [ol’ Zhang the third], come out!” Although the voice did not sound old, it was not tender and lovely either; definitely it did not belong to either Fang Yi or Mu Jianping. The voice still carried three parts of sadness and shrill.

“Female ghost!” Wei Xiaobao whispered.

The elderly man loudly said, “Who’s calling me?”

No answer from the outside. Other than the pitter patter of the rain, there was no other noise. The elderly man and Wei Xiaobao looked at each other in dismay. The hair on both men’s bodies stood up.

After quite a while later, the same woman’s voice called out again, “Zhang Laosan, come out!”

The elderly man mustered his courage. He kicked with his left foot, ‘bang!’ the door flew outward, the door bolt was still hanging on the door frame. He hacked down with his right palm, ‘crack!’ the bolt broke in the middle; and then he walked out. “Don’t go out!” Wei Xiaobao anxiously said, but the elderly man had already rushed toward the main hall.

As soon as the elderly man left, silence fell once again; there was no sound of cursing or fighting, not even the sound of footsteps was heard. A burst of cold breeze blew from outside, carrying quite a bit of rain with it, most of it fell on Wei Xiaobao’s body. He shuddered from cold. He wanted to open his mouth and shout, but did not have enough courage to do so. ‘Bang!’ suddenly the door was blown by the wind, it hit the door frame and immediately swung back out.

Wei Xiaobao was the only one left in this haunted house, naturally there were also quite a number of malicious ghosts, who could come into the room to strangle him death anytime. Fortunately, after waiting for a long, long time, no evil spirit had ever entered the room. Wei Xiaobao comforted himself, "Oh, that's right! Evil spirits only harm grownups, they won't harm children. Perhaps they have eaten many people and are full already. If it's daylight, it would be better!"

Suddenly another burst of cold wind blew in, the candle flickered and died. Wei Xiaobao screamed. He could feel that there was a ghost in the room. He knew the ghost was standing right in front of him; although it was pitch-black and he could not see a thing, he was very sure that the ghost was standing right there.

"Hey, hey, you don't have to harm me," Wei Xiaobao stammered, "I ... I am also a ghost, we are on the same side! No, no ... we all are ghosts, we are fellow ghosts. It's ... it's useless for you to harm me." [Translator's note: the phrase 'on the same side' actually came from '自己人' zi ji ren (lit. our own man), he changed it into '自己鬼' zi ji gui (our own ghost).]

The ghost coldly said, "You don't need to be afraid, I won't harm you." It was a female ghost's voice.

Hearing these ten words, Wei Xiaobao's spirit was aroused; he said, "You said you won't harm me, you can't possibly harm me. A real man's word is like a mountain, if you harm me, then you are in the wrong."

The ghost coldly said, "I am not a ghost, neither am I a real man. I am asking you: that arrogant official of the imperial court, Oboi, was it really you who killed him?"

"You are really not a ghost?" Wei Xiaobao asked, "Are you Oboi's enemy, or his friend?"

After he asked that question, the other side did not say anything. Temporarily Wei Xiaobao could not decide how he was going to answer her question. If the other side was Oboi's enemy, the 'enemy ghost', being straightforward and admit it would be best; but if she was Oboi's close relative, the 'family ghost', would it be really bad if he admit it? In that instant, his gambler instinct flared up; he thought, "Whether it will be 'big' or 'small', I will have to bet a treasure. If I bet correctly, she will regard me as Da Laoye [big master]. If I bet wrong, I will lose everything, including my life!" Thereupon with a loud voice he said, "Damn it, Oboi was indeed killed by laozi; what do you want? Laozi stabbed him with a dagger on his back, he immediately went to see Yan Wang. If you want revenge, just make your move. If laozi ever knit my brows, I am not a hero or a warrior."

The woman coldly asked, "Why did you kill Oboi?"

Wei Xiaobao thought, "If you are Oboi's friend, it would still be useless if I shift the blame to the Emperor, you won't spare me anyway. Since I have already placed my bet, if I lose, laozi will lose everything, but if I win, I will gain everything." With a loud voice he said, "Oboi killed innumerable good people under the heavens, although laozi is young, my heart is filled with anger. It so happened that he offended the Emperor; I seized the opportunity to kill him. A real man is fully responsible of his action. Let me tell you this: even if that dog thief Oboi did not offend the Emperor, I would still look for an opportunity to surreptitiously make my move to take revenge and wipe out a grudge on the behalf of common people under the heavens who suffer hardship and calamity under his hands."

He learned these words from Tian Di Hui's Green Wood Hall people. Actually, the reason he killed Oboi was simply following Kangxi's order; 'taking revenge and wiping out a grudge on the behalf of common people under the heavens who suffer hardship and calamity under his hands' and so on did not even register in his mind.

After he spoke those words, the woman in front of him fell silent without saying anything. Wei Xiaobao's heart was thumping madly; he was wondering if he was betting correctly or not. After waiting for a long time, he thought he heard a light breeze. The woman, whom he was still unsure whether she was a ghost or not, had already floated out of the room.

Wei Xiaobao tried to rock his body several times, but his acupoint was sealed, he was unable to move at all. "Damn it," he mused, "The dice have been rolled, but the lid has not been lifted. Won't it make me hung in suspense?"

Just now he was following his impulse and thought that in this high-stake gambling, he would not care about winning or losing; but now that he had calmed down, the more he thought about it, the more he was convinced that the woman talking to him a moment ago was a ghost and not a human. She was a female ghost, Oboi was a male ghost; most likely those two ghosts had something dubious between them. Those two were most probably 'fellow ghosts' [zi ji gui, see my note above], who were 'opponent ghosts' to Wei Xiaobao; something was really wrong here.

The double-door was blown by the wind and banging against each other, the clothes on his body had not yet dried, the cold wind blew intermittently, he could not help but shivered.