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Thread: Lu Xiaofeng - Unabridged

  1. #101
    Senior Member foxs's Avatar
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    Default Book 7 - Chapter 11

    Part 2 Ximen Chuixue

    Even though there is no sword in his hand, it won’t give him any problem, because his body and his sword have dissolved into one entity; as long as the person exist, all things in the universe are his sword.

    Chapter 11 – Sword legend in the evening rain on Mount Ba[1]

    (One)

    Spring night, spring rain, Mount Ba.

    Night rains in the spring are always depressing, especially on Mount Ba, where desolate mountain range, sloping stony path, were covered with moss as dark as splashing ink. How many miserable memories of seniors and famous heroes were buried underneath the traces of the moss? How many spring flowers have become spring muds before they even bloomed?

    There was a line of footprints on the spring mud, the footprints that were made after the last night’s rain had stopped.

    There was another rain tonight.

    Behind the hazy, misty air of the night rain, at the end of the stony path, there was a Taoist temple. The joss stick had long gone, traces of human had also long gone, the awe-inspiring, thunderous sword aura of the olden days, had never been seen again for who knows how long.

    Since the Mount Ba’s swordsman Taoist Gu of old, whose ‘seven by seven, forty-nine hands turning-the-wind, dancing-the-willow sword’ fame shook the earth, disappeared into the thin air - perhaps he had reached immortality - his disciples also scattered in all directions.

    This Taoist temple, which was once revered by young people, who were infatuated with swordsmanship, as a sacred place, gradually became desolate. What’s left was only an empty memory of some mythical legend and some moss-covered sword marks.

    But over the past couple of years, at nights when the sky was clear and the moon was shining, the neighboring hunters often saw what seemed to be the faint light of an arc lantern inside the temple.

    When there was a lantern, there must be people.

    Question is: who were those people who came back to this place? And why?

    (Two)

    It was raining this late at night, the arc lantern was lit. A man sitting alone under the lamp; he did not look like a Mount Ba School’s disciple, neither was he a Taoist priest.

    The person who had lived for two years in this lonely, deserted Taoist temple on this mountain was unexpectedly a Buddhist monk.

    A monk that could often pass several days without eating, a monk that could often pass several months without taking a bath. A monk that even could even pass several years without speaking.

    But tonight, unexpectedly there were two people coming to this temple.

    The two people seemed to have similar built, wearing two similar black coats, and two similar black felt hats. The hats had a very wide brim, and were worn very low, so that the hats were covering their faces.

    Walking up the sloping stony path to this place, nobody knew how many fallen flowers they trampled that the flowers turned into spring mud. One of the two appeared to be already very tired, the other person had to stop frequently to wait for him.

    When they were still several dozen zhang away, the monk sitting under the lantern already knew their arrival.

    But the monk did not move.

    Although the flame flickered incessantly, the monk did not move at all; he did not show the least bit of reaction. Even after the two people crossed the courtyard in front of the Taoist temple compound and reached the small cottage where he was, the monk did not show any reaction. This monk was not old, yet he has already entered the depth of meditation.

    There was no response to the knock on the door; the two people braving the rain to climb the mountain could only push the door open by themselves.

    Although the lantern was not too bright, it was enough to illuminate these two persons; it illuminated their mouth and forehead under the shadow of the brim of the hat.

    Both persons had very pointy forehead, yet the lines were very soft. The outlines of their mouth were even more well-developed, gentle and beautiful.

    Only women would have such mouths. And women who had this kind of mouth, no doubt were exceptionally attractive.

    Two beautiful women, went up Mount Ba in the night rain, to visit a monk who meditated like an old monk.

    Were they mad? Was there anything wrong with them?

    If they were not mad, and there was nothing wrong with them, then there must be an unusually good reason, plus it must be for an unusually grave matter.

    Two gorgeous women braved the rain across desolate mountain to visit a wretched monk, for what reason?

    Two pretty women came looking for a monk, what could happen?

    (Three)

    The monk, who was not yet old, was still sitting in meditation.

    The woman, who walked a bit faster, whose physical strength seemed better, whose stature was a bit taller, reached out with her snow white hand, using a movement that was almost more graceful than dancing, to take off the felt hat from her head. With a fluid movement, the raindrops dripped down off the hat, under the lantern light, the water drops looked like a strand of shining pearls. Her long hair that was originally kept inside the hat also flowed down like rain, covering half of her face, while at the same time exposing the other half.

    Pitch-black, long and thin eyebrows, bright and beautiful eyes, a hint of smile at the corner of her mouth; spring has indeed returned to earth.

    The monk’s eyes were fixed on his nose, his nose was looking at his heart; practically, he did not seem to see the women in front of him.

    But she seemed to be very familiar with the monk, furthermore, she spoke to him in a very intimate manner, “Monk, others say you are honest. If there are only ten thousand people on earth, there are at least nine thousand nine hundred and ninety nine people who say that you are honest.”

    The woman said, “But, as I see it, you monk, are not honest. Not the least bit.”

    The woman’s stature was slender and graceful, plus she was charming, each movement was gentle, soft and beautiful. Only an exceptionally educated family of nobility would produce such a graceful bearing.

    But when she talked to this mysterious and strange impoverished monk, she suddenly acted as if she was a little nun who was used to fooling around all day long in front of this monk.

    Finally the monk could not help opening his mouth, “Which part of me is not honest?”

    “You tell others that you were going to Mount Wutai to shut yourself up, yet you sneakily went to a Taoist monastery. I went up to heaven and down to Hades to look for you, and had spent more than a month before I finally find you.” She said, “Tell me, aren’t you the least bit honest?”

    The monk sighed, “Why are you looking for the monk?” With a pained expression on his face he said, “Monk does not even eat meat soup [routang].”

    This girl was unexpectedly the Miss Niu [lit. cow], who for the past few years was famous in Jianghu for her mischief and creating trouble, the Niu Routang [Beef Soup].

    Recently, people also gave her another nickname, ‘Cowhide Candy’ [niu pi tang (different character)] behind her back.

    “Actually, you ought to know that when I am looking for you, there can’t be any good thing.”

    “Amituofo, Monk only wishes that you are looking for me this time, it is not for a bad thing.”


    “Not only not bad, it is actually very good.”

    “Oh?”

    “I am looking for you this time, it is to help you upholding yiqi toward your true friend, which is what you guys are saying: cultivate great achievements and virtue.” Miss Niu said, “If you do this kind of things a couple times more often, you will become a luohan [arhat] earlier.”

    “What luohan? Chicken-finder luohan?”

    Miss Niu winked and giggled, “What’s wrong with chicken-finder luohan? Big or small they are still luohan, no need to be vanquishing-dragons-and-tigers luohan.”

    With a bitter laugh the monk said, “Big Miss Niu, can you spare me this time? Do you think Monk really does not know why you came to see me?”

    “Do you?”

    “Even if I am thinking with my buttocks I can still figure out that it must be because of your Lu Xiaofeng has disappeared, hence you want Monk to go looking for him.” The monk said, “Too bad Monk can no longer do this kind of foolish thing of yours.”

    Miss Niu’s expression suddenly turned very serious, plus she seemed to have an unspeakable difficulty. “You did not guess wrong, Lu Xiaofeng indeed has disappeared, but the circumstances around this matter is different than in the past.”

    “What’s the difference?”

    “This time, he had no quarrel with me, and it is not for the sake of other women either.” Miss Niu said, “Before he left this time, he still met with me once, saying that because a good friend suddenly went missing, he wanted to travel to borderland to look for him; also, there is good possibility that he will be in danger.”

    She looked as if she was about to cry, “At first I was determined to come with him, who would have thought that he sneakily left alone. Once he was gone, there is no more news about him. Tell me, won’t that worry me to death?”

    “No worry, no worry at all,” the monk very slowly said, “Monk has done some fortune telling for him, he won’t die.”

    “No matter what, you must go to look for him.”

    “Why?”

    “Because you are his good friend.” Miss Niu said, “Who in Jianghu did not know that Honest Monk is Lu Xiaoji’s [little chicken] good friend? He is in danger, if you don’t go looking for him, won’t people laugh at you to their death?”

    Unexpectedly, this monk was the number one wandering hero of the Buddhism, the world famous Honest Monk.

    It was said that he had never said a single lie in his life, but if there is anyone who wanted to force him to tell the truth, very soon that person might not be able to speak anymore.

    It was said that one time he was crossing the Yellow River on boat, and happened to come across a robbery. He said that his pocket was as empty as if it was just being washed, the robbers believed him. After the robbers left, he ran after them and confessed that he had been lying, and handed over the little money he had to them. The next morning, those pirates suddenly died in their den without any rhyme or reasons.

    The stories around this monk are indeed not a few, plus they are very interesting. Too bad our story this time is not about him.

    When Big Miss Niu said she wanted to move someone, she really could resurrect a dead man. But Honest Monk did not seem to hear even one word of what she said.

    “Whatever you say is useless, besides, this time Monk has already eaten steel chain, I bind my heart that when I say I won’t go, then I won’t go.”

    “Are you telling the truth?”

    “It’s the truth.”

    “Not a lie?”

    “Not a lie.”

    Miss Niu sighed. “In that case, I have no choice but to tell you a story.”

    And her story went like this: “There was once a monk, people say that he is annoyingly honest, and has never touched meat and fish, let alone getting close to female charms. When he came across women, he did not even dare to cast a single glance, because if he looked, he would at least look seven, eight hundred times.”

    “Once upon a time, he unexpectedly talked to a woman about feeling, discussing love. The girl was called Xiao Douzi [lit. little red bean].”

    “This little girl’s lot in life was really pitiful, she grew up in a pleasure house. Her body was weak, and she had some illness, therefore, this very-honest Monk of ours took great pity on her, he felt sorry for her.”

    “Pitying her was not a big deal, the big deal was that from pity love grew, and once love sprouted, there was no end in sight.”

    “His only regret was that he was a monk, and a poor one at that, he couldn’t possibly fool around with several thousand taels of silver to redeem a pleasure house woman, let alone blatantly snatch her away from the brothel.”

    “Therefore, this passionate monk had no choice but to quietly keep his regret inside and leave, to hide in a place where he thought nobody else would be able to find him, to yearn in sorrow, to repent from his feeling.”

    Speaking to this point, Beef Soup paused for a moment; staring at Honest Monk, she asked, “What do you say, isn’t this story interesting?”

    Listening to this point, Honest Monk’s already panic expression turned even paler that not the least bit trace of blood remained. After a long, long time he finally replied, “Not interesting.”

    “I didn’t think it was interesting either.” Miss Niu said, “Such a sad story, I don’t like to hear it either.”

    She sighed. “But this is a true story, the people are real, the story is real.”

    “Oh?”

    Miss Niu stared at the monk for another half a day. Suddenly she asked, “Do you know who the monk is in this story?”

    “I … I do.”

    “Well, tell me.”

    Sweats started to appear on Honest Monk’s forehead, but he still struggled to answer, “The monk in this story was me.”

    Miss Niu smiled; she sighed, “No matter what, Honest Monk really deserves to be called Honest Monk, he indeed never tells a lie.”

    Suddenly she pulled the other woman dressed in black cape to Honest Monk’s presence, and took her felt hat off of her, revealing a delicate and pretty, thin and weak, lovely and touching face; the cheeks were already wet with tears.

    “Look here, who is she?”

    Honest Monk stared blankly.

    Naturally he knew who she was; until the heaven becomes desolate and the earth turns old, until the moon wanes and the stars fall, it’s impossible for him not to know her.

    Xiao Douzi, how can it be you?

    Xiao Douzi’s tears were as big as beans.

    Looking at their expressions, Miss Niu wanted to laugh, but she simply could not laugh.

    So much so that she was thinking of leaving, leaving far away, so that they could be alone, sharing their thoughts with each other.

    Who would have thought that Honest Monk called out to her instead, “I also have something I want to show you.”

    “What is it?”

    Honest Monk did not reply, he merely slowly lifted up his old, worn, and several-sizes-too-big monk robe, revealing a pair of legs.

    Beef Soup was dumbfounded.

    The legs she saw already did not look like legs, but a pair of snapped off dried up branch. Not only they looked thin and weak, practically the legs had already shriveled and degenerated.

    Even more surprising, the ankles of these legs were locked with an extremely thick iron chains.

    “The lock is ‘exquisite crystal’ made by Qi Qiao Tang [lit. hall of seven skillful], I have thrown the key to the valley below. No one else on this earth is able to open it.” The monk said, “At the foot of the mountain there is a woodcutter who deliver a bowl of rice and vegetable, and a bottle of water, every day.”

    Miss Niu could not resist asking, “Why did you do this?”

    But she also knew that not only this question should not be asked, asking it would be unnecessary.

    A lone man under a lantern in evening rain on Mount Ba [see note on title], yet his heart was by a pitiful woman under red lanterns and green wine [idiom, meaning ‘feasting and pleasure seeking’ or ‘debauched and corrupt environment’]; how could he control himself? How could he stop himself from seeing her?

    A man who has never experience passion, once his passion is aroused, it will get out of hand very fast, a sudden outbreak of emotion like flash flood from the mountain; who can control it?

    After all, Honest Monk was still a human being, furthermore, he was a Jianghu man; if it is difficult for even ‘taishang’ [title of respects for Taoists] to escape being moved by sentiments, much less Jianghu people?

    Therefore, he could only use this kind of method to lock himself up, so he could avoid making mistake.

    Big Miss Niu’s eyes were moist. In such circumstance, what else could she say? She could only leave.

    Who would have thought that Honest Monk called out again? Naturally now he could not accompany her looking for Lu Xiaofeng, even if he left, he could not save Lu Xiaofeng. He could only tell Beef Soup, “Although Lu Xiaofeng loves to fool around with happy face, sometimes even talks a bunch of nonsense, but sometimes he could also speak one or two sincere words.”

    Honest Monk said, “There was one time when he was drunk he said something that until today I cannot forget.”

    “What did he say?”

    “He said, only in front of one person he did not dare to talk rubbish.”

    “Why?”

    “Because in this world, only this one person is capable of killing him.” The Monk said, “If he ever face a real danger, only this one person is capable of saving him.”

    “Who is this person?”

    “Ximen Chuixue.”

    (Four)

    Ximen Chuixue, with clothes as white as snow, with heart also as cold as snow. [Reminder: ‘chui xue’ means ‘blowing snow’.]

    It seemed that in all his life, he has never loved anybody. Even if he did, it has already become a sad past, something that he could not bear to remember.

    He did not have any relative, he had no friend either, so much so that he did not even have any enemy. Other than ‘sword’, in this world he had nothing at all.

    This kind of man, what could possibly move him?

    “I know that one time, just so that he could test Lu Xiaofeng’s fingers, whether those two fingers could clamp his sword, he was ready to decide life and death with Lu Xiaofeng in split second.” Miss Niu said, “He did not even hesitate to have Lu Xiaofeng die under his sword.”

    “I also heard about it,” Honest Monk said, “It happened after the Mansion of Spirits affair, by the Xie Jian Chi [lit. shedding-the-sword pond] on Mount Wudang.”

    “But he did not make his move at all.”

    “Because at that time he considered Lu Xiaofeng’s heart has already died, that he was no different than a dead man.”

    Miss Niu sadly said, “Perhaps Lu Xiaofeng is really dead by now.”

    “But as long as he is not dead, the only person who can save him is Ximen Chuixue.” Honest Monk said, “Monk has never told lies, not only Ximen Chuixue’ swordsmanship is number one, his cool-headedness and intelligence also no one can surpass.”

    “Monk is honest, I believe the Monk.” Miss Niu said, “But I don’t know how can I convince him to rescue Lu Xiaofeng?”

    “I don’t know either.”

    “How can you not know?” Miss Niu asked Honest Monk.

    “Because practically there is no way.” The Monk said, “Even if you can talk someone to return to life, with him, you simply won’t have any chance.”

    He was wearing an expression that although very honest, there was also a surreptitious look on his eyes, as he fixed his gaze on Beef Soup and said word-by-word, “I only have something I want to tell you; you must remember it in your heart.”

    Naturally Honest Monk would say honest words, and honest words usually are very useful. Miss Niu naturally wanted to listen to each word carefully.

    Who would have thought that Honest Monk only said eight words, and each word could annoy people to their death.

    “When there is no way, that means there must be a way.” [没法子,就是有法子 – mei fa zi, jiu shi you fa zi]

    Monks like keen words; monks who can speak keen words are reasonable monks.

    But in Miss Niu’s ears, it sounded like someone had just released a series of eight farts in succession.

    [1] Evening rain on Mt. Ba [巴山夜雨] is also an idiom: lonely in strange land. Additional info (courtesy of LuDongBin): Co-incidentally there is this China movie in 1980 by the same name. The theme centers around the time of the Cultural Revolution and talks about the Gang of Four.
    But no, this verse has a more illustrious heritage. This is from a famous poem composed by Li Shangyin 李商隱 (812-858); a Late Tang poet par excellence who shared the limelight with Du Fu. Among the collection of the 300 Tang Poems, there are 22 of his works, including this one here. Poems mostly about romance, although there were some political ones too. Because of his penchant for intense imagery, his poems are very difficult to translate. It was said that Roger Waters of Pink Floyd fame borrowed from Li's poems to create some of his songs.
    Here is the poem:
    {夜雨寄北}
    君问归期未有期,
    巴山夜雨涨秋池.
    何当共剪西窗烛,
    却话巴山夜雨时。

    When will I return? This I cannot say,
    Perhaps when the night rains
    Overflow the Daba's autumn pools once again;
    And we reminisce by the western window;
    The night rains fall on Daba.

    1. 巴山: Refers to the Daba Mountains in the vicinity of China mountainous region in southwest China.
    2. 剪西窗烛: Trimming the candle by the western window - a phrase to indicate thinking of or chatting with your loved ones. A literal translation would have lost the original meaning. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Shangyin

  2. #102
    Senior Member foxs's Avatar
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    Default Book 7 - Chapter 12

    Chapter 12 – Super-assassins appear on cloud penetrating peak

    This moment Ximen Chuixue was sitting on a blue-green rock on a plateau on the mountain top, he was looking away at the distant scenery.

    Dusk, late dusk.

    Like wisps of smoke the clouds on the distant drifted into the vast, dark blue expanse of the sky, nothing else could be seen, nothing was visible.

    To someone whose life has just started, or perhaps someone whose life has been completely satisfied, it was no more than a piece of nothingness, a piece of primal chaos; at most it was no more than a roll of painting, so that someone who was already a cheerful person could find a bit of enjoyment in tranquility.

    But to someone like Ximen Chuixue, this nothingness was the life itself. Only in the nothingness of primal chaos he would be able to see a lot of things that in any other places he would not be able to see, only here and now he would be able to see himself.

    This was most important. For more than ten years Ximen Chuixue had virtually no opportunity to see himself.

    Because his heart and eyes have long ago already blinded by a layer of blood [xue], and of course, by a layer of snow [xue].

    Ice is colder than iced water, snow is even colder than iced water.

    What kind of person was Ximen Chuixue? In the present age, several hundred thousand people knew the name Ximen Chuixue, but only a few knew his origin, his thoughts, his feelings, and his past.

    Even he himself did not know.

    Of course it was not that he did not know, rather, he had already forgotten.

    But how could he forget?

    Is there anything in life that is more difficult than ‘forgetting’?

    He would have to pay heavy price to forget these things.

    Ximen Chuixue suddenly remembered Lu Xiaofeng. At this moment, he actually did not want to remember Lu Xiaofeng.

    It is unfortunate that humanity’s greatest irony is that people tend to remember other people they should not remember, or things that they should forget.

    Ximen Chuixue and Lu Xiaofeng have known each other for nearly twenty years.

    Twenty years, what a long time. Some people died as soon as they were born, some people’s days are cut short only after a few days or a few months after they were born. To these people, twenty years are practically something that they could not even look forward to.

    To a woman who had just been married, if her husband died in the first two or three years during which they shared their conjugal love the most, then twenty years would be a blessing that she could not even beg for.

    To an old person who is nearing the end of his life, although he understood that he would not live for another twenty years, but the last twenty years of his life would ever be unforgettable.

    Because in every person’s life, there will always be the most important twenty-year period. Every day in this twenty-year period something can happen that could change the fate of his life.

    That’s why Ximen Chuixue could think of Lu Xiaofeng.

    He and Lu Xiaofeng have known each other for twenty years, yet the things he understood about Lu Xiaofeng were actually very few. He had never learned in what kind of family Lu Xiaofeng was born, he had never known in what kind of environment Lu Xiaofeng was brought up.

    Perhaps it was because he never wanted to know.

    There are actually friends in the world that are just like that, although they often spend time together, they never thought about finding out each other’s past events, certainly they never thought about prying into the friend’s private business.

    Friends of Jianghu cross into each other path via yiqi and blood; as long as you deal with me in a real-manly manner today, even if you are a b@stard, I don’t give it a damn.

    In this world, real men are not too many anymore.

    If anybody ever said that Lu Xiaofeng was not a real man, this person ought to run and hide quickly in some abandoned temple on a desolate mountain to ask for the Heaven’s protection; the Heaven’s protection so that no friend of Lu Xiaofeng would ever find him. Even more, he should ask the Heaven’s protection that Ximen Chuixue would never find him.

    For the sake of someone that he practically did not know, so much so that someone that he has not even met, Ximen Chuixue would rush by the stars and the moon, traveling several thousand li, took a deep bath in incense, fasting for three, five days, and for the sake of this total stranger, kill the undefeated killer.

    Simply because he was willing to do this thing.

    Simply because he was delighted to do so.

    Whether he would succeed or fail, whether he would win or lose, whether he would live or die, he simply did not care.

    But what if he was not delighted? What if he was unwilling?

    Then there was no way he would do such thing. No way at all. Even if you had all his friends coming to him, lining up in front of his door, kneeling, he would act as if he had never seen the shadow of any of those so-called friends.

    Even if it was for Lu Xiaofeng’s sake.

    If he was not happy and was unwilling, even if someone killed Lu Xiaofeng right in front of his face, he would not see it.

    The only thing that Ximen Chuixue could see was his sword.

    (Two)

    The setting sun suddenly emerged from behind a layer of dark, elongated and graceful cloud, the sun appeared red; very, very red.

    The sun is most red when it is about to sink.

    What about people? Aren’t people the same?

    Ximen Chuixue never wanted to think about it, there are always inevitable sorrows in one’s life, why must he think about it? Even if he did, and then what?

    He only knew that this moment there must be someone wielding a sword that he has never seen, using a sword technique that he has never seen, would come to decide life and death in split second with him.

    It was not his premonition.

    With a sword in his hand he had criss-crossed the Jianghu unhindered for twenty years, he had gone through fire and water countless times, yet now he was still alive. Naturally he also possessed some kind of animal-like instinct, just like some other reclusive, arrogant Jianghu swordsmen, famous heroes, and killers.

    But this time, he travelled thousands of li, fasted and took a bath, and came to the summit of this mountain, just because he had an appointment.

    The appointment was right here, right this moment.

    He did not know the person making the appointment with him. But the person who dared to make appointment with him was undoubtedly a very powerful person, and was extremely confident. He must be very confident of his own strength, and his sword.

    This is the point that anybody could have thought.

    Who was this person? Why did he make an appointment with Ximen Chuixue, who never leave any ‘living mouth’ from under his sword, and has never been defeated?

    (Three)

    When the red sun first appeared, it was red like the rouge on a shy young woman’s face on her wedding day. But now it was as red as the blood on the enemy’s sword.

    A lone man was walking slowly toward the summit of the mountain.

    If he was using qinggong to fly up the mountain, or perhaps using ‘Green Rope Skill’ to climb up, that person could not be considered a worthy adversary.

    But the man was walking slowly, the kind of speed a husband, who was under his wife’s thumb, would use to walk toward his wife’s chamber when he returned home very late at night; light and slow, gently and cautiously, afraid that he might make the slightest noise, wishing earnestly that he could take his shoes off.

    But the man walking up right now was wearing a pair of very, very heavy boots. We can even say that there is absolutely nobody in the world wearing any shoes heavier than his boots.

    This man was unexpectedly wearing a pair of iron boots. A pair of boots made of pure iron.

    If you have a very experienced old blacksmith here and you ask him for his most conservative estimates, he would say that each one of these boots would weigh at least the same as the thigh of the fattest man in the world.

    This kind of weight is very difficult to estimate, but at least it would be between nine and a half to thirteen, fourteen catties [1 catty is approx. 1/2kg or 1lb.]

    Counting from the middle, a leg would be ten catties, two legs twenty catties; wearing a pair of twenty-catty iron boots, most people would make noise like thunder when walking, much less when climbing a mountain, going over mountain ridges and dangerous slopes, not to mention this man was a super-fat man.

    Yet as this super-fat man wearing heavy iron boots moved from a flat ground to this high mountain with steep ridges, his footsteps were even lighter than a husband coming home late, as light as a little girl sneaking into the kitchen to steal some midnight snack.

    This man happened to be big and tall, burly, and fat, yet he was just as light as a butterfly.

    This corpulent man had delicate features and smiling face, he looked a bit like Buddha Maitreya, but those who knew him would rather see a hundred captured evil spirits than to come across him.

    Ximen Chuixue practically did not turn his head at all. In this world, perhaps there was no one worthy to have Ximen Chuixue look at him.

    Surprisingly, this man did not bother Ximen Chuixue either; even more so, he did not kick Ximen Chuixue with his pair of big iron boots. He simply unloaded the sack he had been carrying on his back and took out a big piece of beef stewed in soy sauce and spices, two roasted geese, seventeen, eighteen strips of barbequed pork [char siu] made by master chef of Lingnan [old term for south China, esp. Guangdong and Guangxi], one whole small but fat pig, thirty, forty steamed buns, and seventy or eighty pieces of lard crystal sugar thousand-layer cakes; he spread a large piece of cloth and arranged all these food on it. And then he just sat down.

    He really just sat there, moving neither his hands nor his mouth. Such a big, fat person, facing such a big pile of delicious food, yet unexpectedly he just sat down, unmoving, only looking, not eating.

    Ximen Chuixue did not move either, he did not look, but suddenly he said something very strange, “Xiao Shouzi [lit. little thin person], I know it was not you, so you won’t die today.”

    He added, “But you really shouldn’t be here today.”

    In an instant the man wearing iron boots’ fat-face suddenly swelled up like bubbling mud, plus his body shook incessantly, shaking like a pig inside a deep fryer full of boiling oil.
    He was not a ‘little thin person’, he was a ‘big fat person’; if Ximen Chuixue was warning a thin person, why would a big fat person be afraid?

    The fat person was afraid to be thin, because when he was a child he was thin, therefore, he wore big iron boots; therefore, he did his utmost to eat food that would make him fat. And since he ate like that, how could he not be fat?

    In order to increase his weight, ever since he was very little he had started wearing iron shoes. Walking like that, if his qinggong was not good, would it make any sense?

    But now he could not be fatter than he was. So although he always carried some food that he loved the most, he could only watch, but could not eat.

    For the past two, three years, this ‘little thin person’ has risen in Jianghu to be a super-assassin, ‘The Big Bass Drum’.

    His belly was as big as a drum, his breathing was as loud as a drum, so much so that his whole body looked like a drum.

    Such an obese, commonplace, and uncouth person, who would guard against him? Hence the reason for the last nineteen months the number of great heroes of Wulin who died under his fat but small hands had far surpassed the number of people who died under Ximen Chuixue’s sword.

    But Ximen Chuixue knew that this man came here today not because he had an appointment.

    Even if this ‘little thin person’ who was big and fat ate the Demon Cult’s ‘confusing-soul medication’, he would not have dared to come and provoke Ximen Chuixue.

    Who would dare to provoke Ximen Chuixue?

    By this time, from under the steep mountain ridge came the sound of footsteps, a heavy sound of footsteps, as if an 800-catty big fat person was wearing a pair of eighty-catty iron boots.

    But before this person arrived, Ximen Chuixue already knew that not only this person was neither fat nor heavy, the shoes worn were a pair of light, thin, and soft embroidered shoes.

    Listening to the person’s footsteps, the tense expression of the man wearing iron boots immediately relaxed. Ximen Chuixue’s expression, however, suddenly became as red as blood, as cold as snow. [note: play on words, blood and snow are both ‘xue’ (different characters)]

    Author’s Note:

    Writing wuxia novel for twenty-three, four, five, six, seven years, I have never written a ‘Note’.

    But since I was little I always love reading the ‘Note’. Because it is often very good, but also very short. Oftentimes it can make people laugh heartily.

    For example, after someone wrote, ‘so and so pulled the sword’, he also wrote a note, ‘this person actually already pulled the sword and put it on the table, after he finished eating, he wore it again on his waist, hence he was able to immediately pull it out.’

    After you read such note, if you don’t laugh aloud, what do you do? Cry?

    Sometimes ‘Note’ can also express the author’s opinion and scholarly knowledge, ‘Note’ explains things that others did not know but wish to hear, sometimes it is even like ‘painting a dragon and dot the eyes’ [i.e. to add the vital finishing touch], that without this ‘dot’, the ‘dragon’ won’t look alive.

    Gifted scholars’ annotation is often like that. The four gifted scholars of the Jin sages[1].

    The note I am writing now has nothing to do with Lu Xiaofeng, let alone Ximen Chuixue, so much so that it doesn’t even have anything to do with this story. But if I do not write, my heart will be unhappy, and then the readers’ hearts will also be unhappy.

    Because two persons appeared in this ‘birds do not lay eggs’ ‘Note’, whose reputation, in modern day fiction lovers’ eye, is probably a lot higher than Lu Xiaofeng and Ximen Chuixue.

    These two persons, of course, are my friends; these two persons, of course, are Jin Yong and Ni Kuang.

    One day, late at night, Ni Kuang and I had some drink together. I don’t know how many hundred or how many thousand times we drank together, also I don’t know how many ‘birds do not lay eggs’ matters we talked that we did not know whether to laugh or to cry.

    The difference was, that day I proposed a couplet that ‘even hens do not lay eggs’ to him. I spoke the upper line, and asked Ni Kuang to come up with the lower part to complete it.

    The upper part was ‘ice is colder than iced water’ [冰比冰水冰, lit. ‘ice is more ice than water’; my apology, I am not a scholar].

    Ice is certainly colder than iced water. When ice is dissolved in the water, the temperature is already rising.

    When water reaches its freezing point, it will solidify to become ice. Therefore, it does not matter what kind of water in the world, it can’t be colder than ice.

    This upper part was exceptionally scholarly, three out of six characters (sic) are ‘bing’ [ice]. The first ‘bing’ was a noun, the second ‘bing’ was an adjective, and so was the third.

    I have done some research with a lot of scholarly friends, there is no other written language in the world that can produce similar/analogous sentence with so few words.

    Couplet is a unique form in Chinese script, it is not extremely difficult, but it is extremely fascinating.

    The boring part is, although the upper part is there, nobody knew where the lower part may be.

    I could not come up with anything, neither did Ni Kuang.

    Ni Kuang is a lot smarter than I am, and he is also much more fun than I am; even the most discerning woman, when she saw him, her remark was, “This man is so much fun.”

    But even the most fun person sometimes will have some not-fun time. Such an interesting upper line, he could not come up with the lower line.

    This bit-by-bit is not surprising.

    The surprising thing is, when Jin Yong heard this upper part, it was just like when he usually thought about a lot of other problems; he thought about it for a long time, and then he only said four words, “This couplet doesn’t make any sense.” [此联不通 – ci lian bu tong]

    Hearing these four words, I was extremely happy, because I know, ‘This couplet doesn’t make any sense,’ means ‘I cannot complete it either.’

    Mr. Jin Yong is considered wise and farsighted. Mr. Ni Kuang is sharp, quick and talented. Under this circumstances, if there is anybody who can complete the couplet ‘ice is colder than iced water’, and the lower part suitably matches, Jin Yong, Ni Kuang and I are willing to send a copy of our autographed book, as a tribute to this gentleman.

    I am afraid this ‘Note’ is one of the longest in all martial art novels.

    Editor’s note:

    The above ‘Note’ seems a little nondescript. After a lot of online research, there are a lot of ‘Laughter of The Sword God’, and every single one has this ‘Note’. Yet it cannot be confirmed whether it was Gu Long’s own writing or not. In the preface of the collection of his works, which resembles triple-couplet, Great Master Jin Yong denied it. From this, it is evident that to say the least, the spreading of this upper part of the couplet ‘ice is colder than iced water’ has nothing to do with Jin Yong.


    [1] Courtesy of LuDongBin: I think this refers to Jin Shengtan's (金圣叹) (1610?-7 August 1661) scholarly work entitled "Six Works of Genius" (六才子書) wherein he listed and made extensive commentaries on the then prevailing 6 works that he considered had high literal merits. These 6 are: Zhuangzi, Li Sao, Shiji, Du Fu's poems,The Story of the Western Wing (Xi Xiang Ji) and Water Margin (Shuihu Zhuan) in that order. Note that Du Fu is ranked no. 4 relating to poems.
    Hence I suspect Gu Long's (or whoever he might be) 四才子 is referring to Shengtan's commentaries and notation about no 4, Du Fu in conjunction with the couplet “冰比冰水冰”.
    Either that or he got it wrong and it should be 六才子.
    See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jin_Shengtan

  3. #103
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    Default Book 7 - Chapter 13

    Chapter 13 – Big Bass Drum and Embroidered Shoes

    (One)

    The woman who was going up the mountain was lanky, with long face, and eyes and eyebrows slanted upward. In her tough and heroic spirit aura, there was a bit of seductiveness. Although not beautiful, she was quite attractive. She was wearing a very short silver fox cape, exposing her slender legs, and sure enough, on her feet was a pair of embroidered shoes.

    Such a slender woman, how come her footsteps were a lot louder than the Big Bass Drum?

    There was only one answer to this question.

    She did that on purpose; she intentionally flaunted her skill, purposefully showing off her martial art prowess.

    The skill she trained was very special, plus it has been extinct from Jianghu for a long time, an external-type of martial art. When needed, the skill would enable the practitioner to make his body heavier than several-hundred-catty big steelyard.

    No women have ever trained this kind of martial art, hence no women have ever trained it to perfection.

    She has always been very proud of this.

    Hence she was known as ‘Embroidered Shoes’.

    Naturally it was not her real name, yet people who knew her have never known her with any other names.

    As Embroidered Shoes went up the mountain, just like Big Bass Drum, she also brought some very peculiar things.

    Naturally the things she brought were not food.

    What she brought were a top-quality lacquered make-up chest, an ivory box of gambling instruments, including a set of marbles, a set of paijiu [pai gow], and a set of cards.

    The most peculiar thing was that behind her followed a very pretty little boy, carrying a set of beautiful bedding and quilt.

    Such woman was indeed very strange.

    (Two)

    Ximen Chuixue was still looking at the boundless horizon, he still did not turn his head. Big Bass Drum’s face turned green, his eyes looked like a pair of belly buttons.

    They all knew this woman’s background to the finest details. She was also one of the few super-assassins who in the recent years had risen in Jianghu. Only she had something else, a very particular skill, that not only the Big Bass Drum could not compare with, no one else could either.

    It was said that the money she earned was more than the other three, four super- assassins, who enjoyed the same reputation as she did, combined.

    What was the reason?

    Seeing Big Bass Drum, Embroidered Shoes laughed; when she laughed, she looked even more charming.

    “Dagu Xiong [Brother Big Bass Drum], others are saying that you are big-hearted and serene; you are indeed a relaxed and magnanimous person. Lately you are putting more and more weight.”

    But Big Bass Drum sighed. “What’s the use of putting more weight? How much will I get for a catty of my fat?” He said, “To get rich, now that’s the real skill.”

    “That is the truth.”

    “I hear you are getting richer and richer,” Big Bass Drum said, “I hear that even several big-name families in Shanxi sometimes need to turn some money to you.”

    “That is also true.” Embroidered Shoes sighed again, “Although having a lot of money is troublesome, who told me to be born to make money?”

    Suddenly her expression turned very serious as she asked Big Bass Drum, “Have you ever heard that the money I make is more than all of you put together?”

    “I have.”

    “Yet you also ought to know that my price for killing people is not at all higher than yours.”

    “I know.”

    “Then how did I make more money than you do?”

    She answered her own question, “Because not only I can make money, I can also earn money.” Embroidered Shoes said, “I am not like you, who are willing to do only the second oldest business in the world; even some kind of oldest profession in the world I also do.”

    Big Bass Drum deliberately asked, “I know that the second oldest profession in the world is murder, but what is the oldest profession in the world?”

    “Prostitution, naturally.” Embroidered Shoes’ countenance did not even change, “The oldest profession in history is prostitution.”

    Big Bass Drum could only smile wryly, his smile did not look like he was about to cry, but it looked like he was about to vomit.

    Yet Embroidered Shoes did not show the least bit of emotion.

    “Whatever people want, I sell it to them. They want me to kill, I’ll kill, for seventeen thousand five hundred taels; as long as I have the money on hand, I guarantee a life will be gone, never fail.” Embroidered Shoes said, “They want to gamble, I’ll gamble. I always bring a set of cards with me. Whoever comes, I’ll serve him, as long as he has money to lose. Even if you get your money from digging your ancestors' grave, I will win it anyway.”

    “Good,” Big Bass Drum deliberately clapped his hands, “You have character.”

    “People want me to sing, I’ll sing a song for them, five thousand taels per song. There is money, there is song.”

    “Five thousand per song, isn’t that a bit too much?”

    “Not much.” Embroidered Shoes said, “Not only it’s not much, my profit is a bit less.”

    “Who would want to pay you five thousand taels to hear you sing?”

    “There are many people like that.”

    “Are they a bit insane?”

    “Not at all.”

    “Do you sing better than the others?”

    “Not the least bit.” Embroidered Shoes said, “It’s just that I am very different from other people who sing.”

    She asked the Big Bass Drum, “Just think, if those newly rich people, whose belly is full of fat and oil, are able to invite one of the world’s most famous killers in their festivity and sing a song for them, won’t it give them a lot of face?”

    Big Bass Drum sighed, “That is very true.”

    “If they give you five thousand taels, would you sing for them?”

    “I won’t.”

    “Then, do you think five thousand taels are too much?”

    “Not too much.”

    “Therefore, I make more money that all of you. It is the heaven’s will and the earth’s intention.” Embroidered Shoes said, “Besides, I am also willing to accompany people to bed.”

    “I can see that.” The Big Bass Drum let out a wry laugh, “You even bring your own bedding.”

    “That’s right. Bringing my own bedding is not only cleaner, it is more convenient as well.” Embroidered Shoes said, “You want to sleep with me? You can. Seventeen thousand five hundred taels. With money at hand, I will take my pants off.”

    Big Bass Drum was shocked, “Sleeping with you is the same price as killing people?”

    “Of course it is.”

    Big Bass Drum looked at her, up and down, down and up; he shook his head theatrically, “Now that, I cannot see.”

    Embroidered Shoes was not angry, “I understand what you mean, although I cannot be considered ugly, my beauty is not worth seventeen thousand five hundred taels.” She said, “It’s just that …”

    “It’s just that you are the renowned Embroidered Shoes.” Big Bass Drum finished off for her, “Famous women, even if they are a bit ugly, and a bit old, there are still a lot of old suckers with more money than sense who would be willing to be duped.”

    “You got that right.” Embroidered Shoes said, “We can be considered people of the same trade, if you want to call on me, I can give you a ten percent discount.”

    (Three)

    The sky gradually turned dark, the night has arrived. Ximen Chuixue was still sitting alone, motionless. Embroidered Shoes lowered her voice to ask the Big Bass Drum, “Who’s that?”

    “You don’t know who he is?”

    “I did not pay any attention.” Embroidered Shoes said, “Just now I only paid my attention to you.”

    “What about now?”

    “A man, who is neither a stone statue nor a wooden man, sitting without moving over there for a long time, even if I wanted not to pay any attention, I just can’t.” Embroidered Shoes said, “Besides, every time I cast a glance or two that way, I always felt a bit cold.”

    “You clearly have noticed who he is; let me ask you a question then.”

    “Go ahead.”

    “You came here, was it because someone hired you to kill?”

    “You’re probably right!” Embroidered Shoes said, “That person paid me seventeen thousand five hundred taels, most probably it was not to accompany him to bed.”

    “Do you know who is the person he wanted to be killed?”

    “I don’t.”

    “In that case, you’d better pray to God quickly.”

    “Pray to God for what?”

    “Pray that God will bless and protect you, that your client is not insane, that the person he wanted you to kill is not him.”

    Embroidered Shoes followed Big Bass Drum’s gaze. That man was still sitting alone on the rock.

    “Why not him?” Embroidered Shoes asked, “Who is he?”

    “Ximen Chuixue.”

    Embroidered Shoes was dumbfounded; she was aghast.

    Ximen Chuixue?

    She never thought that just a person’s name would make her that terrified. In all her life, she did not seem to be afraid of anybody. Yet right now she suddenly felt terribly cold.

    (Four)

    In the boundless night, the white clothes Ximen Chuixue was wearing looked even more like snow.

    Just then, two palace-style lanterns suddenly appeared in the dark. A man with his hands behind his back was walking behind the lanterns, his entire clothes was unexpectedly also as white as snow.

    The two palace lanterns were carried by two beautiful women dressed in palace attire, their long hair loose like clouds, they had slender waists, long legs, their manners elegant; although they can’t be considered choice-palace-beauties, they must have been trained by ‘professional lady’.

    Not only they had beautiful appearance, their skill was not bad either; otherwise, how could they walked up the mountain peak in the night?

    Other than this kind of skill, their other skills must be not bad either. Therefore, their worth must be exceptionally high.

    The man in white who followed behind them was a white-faced young man; his clothes were as white as snow, his face was as white as his clothes.

    Around his waist was a jade belt, on the belt was a sword; both the sword and the jade belt were equally priceless.

    Embroidered Shoes asked Big Bass Drum, “What do you think of that person?”

    “That person is very handsome, very good-looking, not only he has style, he is also lordly.”

    “And he has money.”

    “Correct.”

    “And so he is your client?”

    “That is also correct.”

    With a wry smile Big Bass Drum said, “Coincidentally, my client is also him; therefore, I have already prayed to God long ago.”

    The young man smiled. “Fortunately, I am not asking you to kill Ximen Chuixue!” He said, “Only lunatics would want you to kill Ximen Chuixue!”

    Embroidered Shoes seemed a bit unconvinced.

    “You think Ximen Chuixue will really not pay us any attention?” she asked the young man.

    “That’s not what I meant,” the young man said nonchalantly, “I was just saying that if right now I insist on you two killing Ximen Chuixue, I am sure that you’d kill me first.”

    He added with a faint smile on his face, “Killing me is definitely a lot easier than killing him.”

    “That’s right.” The silent Ximen Chuixue suddenly opened his mouth, “Killing you is easy, killing me is difficult!”

    His voice was ice-cold, “It’s a pity that they can’t kill you either!”

    “Why?”

    “Because as soon as they make their move, they will die under my sword.”

    “Your sword? Where is it?”

    “I have it.”

    “How come I do not see it?”

    Ximen Chuixue did not reply. He did not need to. His sword, why would he want other people to see it?

    He and his sword, who could possibly see them both?

    Ximen Chuixue only asked the young man, “You said you don’t want them to kill me? Why did you want them to come here?”

    “Because I wanted you to know, I am a person with high status, not only I can make an appointment to have you appear, I am also able to have two big names to open the way first and wait for me here.” The young man in white said, “I know your eyes are way over my head, but I want to at least let you understand that I am not that simple.”

    “Are you saying that you spent that much money to get them here, just to make me understand your status?”

    “That’s right.”

    “In that case, why did you, a person with high status, come here?” Ximen Chuixue asked, “Why did you make an appointment with me here?”

    “What do you think?”

    “The way I see it, based on your martial art skill, you come only to deliver your life.”

    The young man in white laughed aloud, “A person like me, young, have a lot of gold, handsome, elegant and unconventional, plus I have a important identity and high status, not to mention rich, if a man like me wanted to die, I am afraid everybody in the world would have been dead.”

    It was the truth.

    “I came here, just so that I can borrow your sword,” the young man in white said.

    Ximen Chuixue was silent.

    He was silent, simply because he did not know what to say.

    After being silent for a long time, he finally said one sentence, “My sword can only be used to kill people.”

    He was silent for a long time before saying that sentence, just because it has been a long time since he said more than one or two words.

    When he was young, he used to talk a lot. When he was young, wielding a sword he killed people and crisscrossed Jianghu unhindered; as he spoke those words, it was like gold and iron grating each other, not much of heroic spirit.

    But in the young man in white’s ears, not only it was still full of heroic spirit, it was charismatic as well. He even applauded.

    “Good, a hero’s sword, if not for killing people, could it be for killing pigs, killing dogs?” The young man in white said, “I wanted to borrow your sword, it was exactly to kill someone.”

    “Kill who?”

    “Kill someone who want to plot against Lu Xiaofeng’s life.”

    Lu Xiaofeng, how long has it been since he met Lu Xiaofeng? Ever since the battle on the summit of The Forbidden City, many years have passed.

    A sword moving to the east, the immortal flying to the outer space.

    The famous hero of the past, where has he gone today?

    Not only Ximen Chuixue did not have any tears in his eyes, his expression turned even more grim; he coldly told this young man in white, “If you want to kill someone who wanted to plot against Lu Xiaofeng’s life, you shouldn’t have come to me.”

    “Why?”

    “Because that person’s target is Lu Xiaofeng, not me.” Ximen Chuixue said, “That man and I are completely unrelated.”

    He told this young man further, “If you want to kill him, you just have to find someone.”

    “Who?”

    “Lu Xiaofeng.” Ximen Chuixue said, “You want to find the adversary who wanted to kill him, naturally you have to find him.”

    Not only it was a true statement, it also made sense.

    The most important point was: “Lu Xiaofeng shoul be able to take care of himself, there is no need for me to put my hand to deal with it.”

    “If this is something that he can’t handle by himself?”

    “Then he should just go ahead and die.”

    “If I forced you to handle this matter on his behalf, would you also want me to die?” the young man asked Ximen Chuixue.

    “That’s right.”

    “Do you want me to die right away?”

    “That’s right.”

    Ximen Chuixue’s answers have always been like that, always been simple and straightforward, precisely like the sword he used to kill.

  4. #104
    Senior Member foxs's Avatar
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    Default Book 7 - Chapter 14

    Chapter 14 – The Lady and the Big Thief

    (One)

    The young man in white laughed. If Ximen Chuixue said he was going to kill someone, that person’s death was already determined. Now Ximen Chuixue said he was going to kill him, unexpectedly he was still able to laugh. Not only he was laughing, his laughter was very cheerful.

    Even Embroidered Shoes and Big Bass Drum felt it was very strange.

    Stranger still, this young man in white, who had always been mysterious and a bit weird, even said, “Ximen Chuixue, you are not bad. I have always known that you are not bad at all.” He said, “If you want to kill people, it would be easier than other people cutting radish. If you want to kill me, naturally it is even easier.”

    Not only the young man in white’s laughter was cheerful, his cheerful demeanor was contagious. “You have just said that my martial art skill is very lacking, although Big Bass Drum and Embroidered Shoes are currently Jianghu’s first class assassins, in front of Ximen Chuixue, most likely they won’t dare to move.”

    Big Bass Drum and Embroidered Shoes could not deny, they did not dare to deny.

    The young man in white said, in this kind of situation, when I hear that you are going to kill me, I ought to be awfully afraid, but I am not afraid of you, not at all.” He asked Ximen Chuixue, “Do you know why?”

    Ximen Chuixue looked at him. His gaze was not grim, but it was not warm either. Ximen Chuixue’s gaze as he looked at him was like he was not looking at anything, it was like he was gazing at the emptiness in a distance.

    “I am not afraid of you, because I know you are not going to kill me, and that you cannot kill me.” Unexpectedly that was what the young man said.

    Unexpectedly, Ximen Chuixue did not draw his sword either.

    “Ximen Chuixue killed people in split second. In split second Ximen Chuixue is able to kill countless people. A puny ordinary people like me, why would I think that Ximen Chuixue will not dare to kill me?” This weird and mysterious young man in white said, “Naturally I have my reasons. At least I have several reasons!”

    Nobody could guess his reasons.

    When Ximen Chuixue wanted to kill someone, is there any reason in the world that could stop him?

    But the young man in white unexpectedly could come up with a reason; not only that, his reason was really effective.

    What was his reason?

    (Two)

    Naturally the reason this young man in white came up was very reasonable, not only that, it was also unexpected.

    He seemed to have a lot to say, who would have thought that Ximen Chuixue cut him off, “Actually you don’t have a single reason, but I do not have the slightest intention to kill you either.”

    “Really?”

    Of course it was true, whatever Ximen Chuixue said, no one has ever doubted it.

    “When Ximen Chuixue wants to kill someone, he practically does not need any reason. When Ximen Chuixue does not want to kill someone, he does not need any reason either.”

    “That is the truth,” the young man in white said, “I believe it.”

    “If Ximen Chuixue wanted to kill you, even though you are a weak woman, even if you are Lu Xiaofeng’s lover, even if you are that Beef Soup, you will still be dead under my sword by now.”

    “Yet I am still not dead?”

    “Because of a very good reason. I believe there is no reason the world better than this.”

    “Oh?”

    “Ehm.”

    “What reason?” the young man in white asked, “Because of what?”

    “Because although you are not a man but a woman, plus you are Lu Xiaofeng’s recent favorite, the Beef Soup, the Cowhide Candy [see Chapter 11], Miss High and Mighty Niu, but I am not Ximen Chuixue.”

    The man said, “From head to toe, from the top of my head to the soles of my feet, my entire being, from top to bottom, there is nothing belonging to Ximen Chuixue, not at all.”

    Big Bass Drum was dumbstruck. Embroidered Shoes was dumbstruck. Beef soup was dumbstruck. Whether she was really Beef Soup or not, she was dumbstruck; much less she was really Beef Soup.

    She knew what kind of man Ximen Chuixue was. This man’s mannerism was Ximen Chuixue’s mannerism; solitary, quiet, and cold. [孤独、寂寞、冷 – gu du, ji mo, leng]

    If you think these five characters are not enough to describe Ximen Chuixue, that you have to use thirteen characters to be enough, then other than those five characters solitary, quiet, and cold, you may add eight more characters: proud, proud, merciless, merciless [骄傲、骄傲、无情、无情 – jiao ao, jiao ao, wu qing, wu qing].

    A moment ago that man was exactly like that, but now he did not seem to be the same man.

    The heaven above the earth below, there was only one Ximen Chuixue, never to be duplicated. The heaven above the earth below, there was only one Sword God, never to be duplicated.

    This kind of man, how could he say such thing? If Ximen Chuixue really wanted someone to die, how could that person live until now?

    “Now I know for sure that you are absolutely not Ximen Chuixue.” Miss Niu stared at this man and asked, “If you are not him, who are you?”

    She believed this man was Ximen Chuixue, just because she had already felt some kind of pride and desolation that was unique and unmatched, that only Ximen Chuixue could exude; she had also felt the thick and fierce sword aura that was equally unique and unmatched.

    Apart from Ximen Chuixue, who else could make others feel this way?

    “Ximen Chuixue’s face actually looks like dead person, not only it was deathly pale without any trace of blood, it does not have any emotion either.” Miss Niu said, “The most important point is that when most people see a man wearing white clothes, as white as snow, while wearing a long and narrow sword in black sheathe, their legs would turn into jelly; who would dare to stare at that person’s face?”

    Her conclusion was: “Therefore, in theory, masquerading as Ximen Chuixue is not a very difficult thing.”

    The theory is correct, however, between theory and fact, usually there is still some distance. Therefore, Miss Niu continued, “In reality, masquerading as Ximen Chuixue is an extremely difficult thing.”

    “Why?”

    “Because of his sword aura and his murderous aura.”

    It doesn’t matter who, but anybody who ‘saw’ Ximen Chuixue would immediately feel his dense, severe and pressing sword aura and murderous aura. Plus he would be immediately intimidated.

    “Therefore, in this world, the number of people who could impersonate Ximen Chuixue was really not many. In my opinion, there are no more than three people.”

    “Which three?”

    “Western Region’s Yu Luocha, Lu Xiaofeng, and Sikong Zhaixing.” Miss Niu said, “Western Region’s Yu Luocha is the Jiaozhu [Cult Leader] of that Devil Cult of the Western Region, Sikong Zhaixing is that little thief, and Lu Xiaofeng is the Four Eyebrows Lu Xiaofeng.”

    “Ever since that Silver Hook Casino case, Western Region’s Yu Luocha never seems to reappear.” The man in white said, “Besides, he seldom appeared in Jianghu anyway.”

    “Looks like you are right.”

    “Therefore, naturally I can’t be him.”

    “Looks like you can’t be.”

    “And naturally I can’t be that super-b@stard Lu Xiaofeng either.”

    “I don’t think you look like him!”

    “Therefore, I am afraid I am Sikong Zhaixing.”

    “I am afraid so.”

    The man heaved a very, very deep sigh. “Looks like your vision is not bad, it’s a pity you still made a tiny bit of mistake.”

    “What is it?”

    “Sikong Zhaixing is not a little thief, he is a big thief. A super big thief.”

    “Not only he is a super big thief, he seems to be the thief king of kings. Even Lu Xiaofeng would have a very big headache whenever he saw him.” Miss Niu said, “Someone who is able to make Lu Xiaofeng crawling on the ground, digging six hundred and eighty earthworms, other than him, there doesn’t seem to be a second person.”

    Sikong Zhaixing roared in laughter. The chilling murderous aura of a moment ago had already vanished completely.

    It was only now that Miss Niu believed Lu Xiaofeng; this thief king of kings was indeed a genius, his talent in disguise was exactly like Lu Xiaofeng has told her. “I was once told that in the Mansion of Spirits, Lu Xiaofeng had seen a man who could disguise himself as a dog, but this man said that his skill was not even one third of what Sikong Zhaixing is capable of doing.”

    Big Bass Drum and Embroidered Shoes were dumbfounded.

    Although they have heard Sikong Zhaixing’s name, given the fact that this thief king of kings’ reputation in Jianghu was resounding, not at all below Ximen Chuixue’s, but they had never thought that this thief king would be able to masquerade the Sword God; moreover, he was able to deceive them.

    They also understood the art of disguise, since none of the people in their line of work did not understand the art of disguise.

    It was actually one of the most fundamental requirements for people who wanted to take assassination as their profession.

    It’s just that they could not imagine someone was able to completely change his imposing manner and his voice in a flash like that.

    Changing one’s appearance is not difficult, changing one’s voice is difficult. One must first learn how to control the muscle of his throat, a skill that existed only in legends.

    Therefore, without saying anything Big Bass Drum took out a stack of banknotes from his pocket, with both hands he brought it to Miss Niu’s presence, arranged it on the ground, and then, just like a very fat butterfly, he flew away.

    Embroidered Shoes did not say anything either; she simply left. When she walked away, naturally her footsteps were a lot lighter than when she arrived.

    Sikong Zhaixing watched her leaving with a smile on his face. Suddenly he asked Miss Niu, “Why didn’t you stop her?”

    “Why would I want to stop her?”

    “Because she seemed to be forgetting to leave something behind!” Sikong Zhaixing looked at the banknotes Big Bass Drum left behind, “This sort of thing is usually not easily forgotten; even if she forgot, you should not forget.”

    He added as an explanation, “Especially since both of you are women.”

    “Although my experience with women is not as extensive as Lu Xiaofeng’s, it can’t be considered too little either.” Sikong Zhaixing explained further, “Based on my experience, once things like gold, silver, pearls and jewels enter a woman’s hand, it would be like a jar of thirty-year old Nu’erhong [blushing young maiden] wine entering Lu Xiaofeng’s belly; if you want him to spit it back out, I am afraid it would be more difficult than ascending the heavens.”

    “This time you are wrong,” Miss Niu said.

    “Oh?”

    “Exactly because I am a woman that I did not stop her.”

    “Why?”

    “… because I forgot.” Miss Niu’s laughter was as pure as a little white lily. “Because I practically forgot to give her the banknotes.”

    “You did not forget to pay Big Bass Drum, yet you forgot to pay her.”

    “Ehm.”

    “Why?”

    “Because she is a woman, and I am also a woman.” Miss Niu said, “Others thought that women only guard against man; that is wrong.”

    “Could it be that the ones women guard against the most are other women?” Sikong Zhaixing asked, “Could it be that women only guard against women?”

    “That is correct.”

    Women always understand other women a bit better, isn’t that right?

    “Now I only have one thing that I don’t understand.” Beef Soup asked the thief king, “I was wondering if you could tell me.”

    “I could.” Sikong Zhaixing said, “Although I am not Lu Xiaofeng, I also cannot refuse a pretty and lovely little girl such as you.”

    Beef Soup laughed, “At least you have one thing that is the same as his, your mouth is as sweet as his.”

    You have tasted his sweet mouth, do you want to taste my mouth as well?

    Not only Miss Niu was pretty and lovely, she was also very smart; she knew what bad men like Lu Xiaofeng and Sikong Zhaixing had in their mind, even before they say it.

    Therefore, she did not give these bad men a chance to speak; immediately she continued, “I asked Honest Monk to write a letter to Ximen Chuixue to make an appointment with him. How did you read it?”

    “How do you know that I have read it?”

    “If you hadn’t, why did you impersonate Ximen Chuixue and come here?”

    “The reason seems to be very simple.” Sikong Zhaixing sighed again, “I believe you must be thinking of something like that.” His sigh was very deep, “Too bad this time you are wrong.”

    “Are you saying that it was not like that?”

    “It wasn’t.”

    “If it wasn’t like that, then what was it?”

    “That question, I do not want to answer it just yet,” Sikong Zhaixing said, “Right now I just want to eat a big bowl of piping hot beef soup.”

    “Which I have to personally cook.”

    Sikong Zhaixing laughed aloud. “This time you are right.”

    (Three)

    A bowl of beef soup was served; it was indeed piping hot. Not only that, it was brought in an especially big, fancy bowl. The soup was congealing even thicker than rice porridge. The meat in the soup was from the best three parts of a cow, and the cow was the choicest of the herd.

    Such a fine bowl of beef soup, if to it was added an assembly of fine cuisine such as two or three batches of hand-pulled noodle, a dish of Yunnan big-head vegetable, a dish of dried orchid tofu and a bowl of shelled peanuts to down Shanxi’s old Fenjiu wine, even if someone offered to exchange it with 286 dishes of entirely Chinese cuisines, you may want to say, “I don’t want to change.” [Translator’s note: I am not sure about all the food’s names; I don’t even know what they are.]

    Naturally you don’t want to change. If you do, then you are a turtle.

    Sikong Zhaixing was not a turtle, neither was he a cuckold; Sikong Zhaixing loved good food, he was a connoisseur. And not just an ordinary connoisseur either; he was an expert.

    He drank a few mouthfuls of soup, ate a few pieces of meat, closed his eyes, and slowly exhaled from his nose a sigh of contentment. “Beef tendon, small flower-patterned rolled tendon, three-part fat of strips of ribs, plus a bit of white beef brisket and beef shank,” Sikong Zhaixing said with a sigh, “This beef is very tender, was it fed with wine mixed with wheat since it was young?” he asked Miss Niu. [Again, my apology, I am not a food connoisseur.]

    “Yes.”

    “Isn’t it true that this bowl of beef soup has been cooked for four, five sichen [i.e. 8 to 10 hours]?”

    “Yes.”

    “But I barely sat down and your beef soup was immediately brought over!”

    “When I was going to ask someone a favor, I always had beef soup ready.” Miss Niu said, “Because my [maternal] grandma often told me something, and I never forget it.”

    “What did she tell you?”

    “She often told me that if I want to grab a man’s heart, the fastest way is to go through his stomach.”

    “She said it well.” Sikong Zhaixing burst out laughing, “Your [maternal] grandpa must be luckier than most men in the world!”

    With a sweet smile Miss Niu said, “But he is also fatter than most men in the world.”

    Sikong Zhaixing laughed. Miss Niu also laughed. But both of them suddenly stopped laughing. You looked at me, I looked at you.

    The first to open his mouth was naturally Sikong Zhaixing; because he had eaten the beef soup. Usually the beef soup cannot be eaten in vain.

    “What kind of person Ximen Chuixue is, you should already know.” He asked Miss Niu, “Could it be that his letter can be seen by someone else?”

    “No.”

    “Therefore, I have not seen the letter either.” Sikong Zhaixing said, “I only saw a monk, an honest monk who is not honest.”

    Miss Niu laughed, “That monk does seem like he is not too honest.”

    “But that monk is smarter than you.”

    “In which aspect he is smarter than me?”

    “He knew that after Ximen Chuixue read the letter, that letter will immediately become like the heart of a woman who committed suicide.”

    “What do you mean?”

    “Why would a woman want to kill herself?”

    “Because her heart had already broken into pieces, it had been torn to shreds by a man.”

    “That letter will be the same.” Sikong Zhaixing laughed, “So it must have been torn to shreds by a man. And that man is precisely Ximen Chuixue.”

    Miss Niu also laughed; she could not help but laugh.

    “The monk has calculated that the Great Swordsman Ximen definitely would not want to make an appointment with a nameless character, because that Great Swordsman’s eyes will always look above their heads.”

    “If such a Great Swordsman must meet this kind of appointment, perhaps he won’t even have any time to have children.”

    “Since he did not come, you came.” Miss Niu asked Sikong Zhaixing, “But why would you want to come?”

    “Because I am Lu Sandan’s [lit. three eggs] friend; Ximen Chuixue does not go to save him, naturally I must go.”

    “Lu Sandan?” Miss Niu asked in bewilderment, “Who is Lu Sandan?”

    “Lu Sandan is Lu Xiaofeng,” Sikong Zhaixing said, “Because not only he is a b@stard [orig. hundan – muddled egg], he is also a poor wretch [orig. qiong guang dan – totally poor egg], and sometimes he is even an idiot [orig. ben dan – stupid egg].”

    Miss Niu wanted to laugh, but she simply could not laugh.

    “This time you are wrong,” in deadly earnest she told Sikong Zhaixing, “Lu Xiaofeng is not an egg; he could be anything, but I can assure you he is in no way an egg.”

    “Why?”

    Miss Niu laughed again.

    “Have you ever seen an egg grows eyebrows?” she asked Sikong Zhaixing, “Have you ever seen an egg with four eyebrows?”

    Sikong Zhaixing has never surrendered to anybody, even having somersault competition with Lu Xiaofeng he did not surrender.

    But this time, he surrendered.

  5. #105
    Senior Member foxs's Avatar
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    Default Book 7 - Chapter 15

    Chapter 15 – Mysterious couple in the corner

    Ximen Chuixue had actually never blown snow; it does not matter where the snow has fallen, he could not possibly blow it. In the world, most probably nobody has ever blown snow.

    The one thing that Ximen Chuixue blew was blood. [Reminder: ‘xue’ in Ximen Chuixue’s name means snow; blood is also ‘xue’ (different character).]

    The blood on his sword, the blood of the enemy.

    The water in the basin was still warm, it still carried the fragrance of Cape jasmine flowers.

    Ximen Chuixue has already cleaned up every cun [approx. one inch] of his body. Right now he was changing his clothes and tying his hair, and trimming his fingernails.

    He had prepared for himself a brand new set of clothes. From the inner underwear to the outer long gown, everything was white, white as snow.

    He had even fasted for two days, by eating only the purest and simplest food and drinking only pure plain water.

    Because he was going to do something, the most sacred and pure and holy thing.

    He was going to kill someone.

    (Two)

    Zhuangyuan Lou[1] was the largest restaurant in this area. They had the best business, the largest crowd, the liveliest atmosphere, but also the loudest noise. Especially in ‘rice mouth’ time.

    ‘Rice mouth’ means the time when everybody needs to eat.

    And right now it was the ‘rice mouth’ time. The upstairs of Zhuangyuan Lou has always been as noisy as chestnuts being sautéed in a big wok, as lively as a big wok full of assorted vegetables; but right now all noises suddenly died down.

    Because two people were walking up the stairs.

    The first person coming upstairs was a beautiful, albeit a bit wild, girl; healthy and sturdy. Her entire body exuded bounciness and wild nature; yet her wild looking was extremely attractive.

    Such girl ought to attract attention, no matter where she was.

    But today it was different. People at the restaurant today did not even seem to notice her.

    Because in another instant the second person coming upstairs immediately drew everybody’s gaze toward him.

    The man’s face was pale, gaunt, cold, and proud. His clothes were as white as snow.

    This man’s body seemed to exude cold aura that was even colder than ice and snow, that was able to freeze everybody’s voice and smile.

    These two people were, naturally, Sikong Zhaixing and Beef Soup.

    It does not matter where, but each time Sikong Zhaixing appeared, he always drew people’s attention to him. But actually he did not like to be noticed at all.

    He preferred situations where no one paid him any attention, so that he could do what he wanted to do in peace and quiet.

    What he wanted to do was usually ‘to steal’.

    A man who was always drawing other people’s attention, how could he steal? How did he achieve the title ‘thief king of kings’?

    If a man who was always drawing other people’s attention intended to steal, he should not appear in a brightly lit restaurant, because by now he would be already lying in a small and narrow, dark cell, hoping that tomorrow early morning there would be a bit of sunshine coming from that little window high up above him so that he could catch some bedbugs, some lice.

    Someone who claimed to have a lot of experience once said that if you only have two or three lice on you, their bite would give you a terrible itch, so terrible that you wish to die. But if on your body you have two or three hundred lice, they could bite whatever they liked, and you won’t itch; even if they bite until they die, you would not feel the slightest itch.

    Do you believe it?

    Was Sikong Zhaixing a man who was always drawing other people’s attention? Nobody would know, because nobody has ever seen his real identity.

    Everybody only knew that whenever and whereever he appeared, he would take the appearance that a [paternal] grandfather would not love dearly and a [maternal] grandmother would not fond of. Even if he kneeled down ten thousand times, begging other people to give him a second glance, nobody would want to look at him twice.

    But today it was different.

    Today he did not look like a wretched slob that anybody would be disinclined to look, because today he was not Sikong Zhaixing.

    Today he could even say that he was not a nobody, because today he was Ximen Chuixue. The unique and unmatched [orig. ‘only one, no second’] Ximen Chuixue.

    The heaven above, the earth below, the one and only sword.

    (Three)

    Sword hanging on his waist, just like an arrow on the bow.

    Before the age of thirty, Ximen Chuixue’s sword was always hanging diagonally across his back, fastened to his body using some kind of unusually ingenious, yet practical, knot, in a long and narrow black sheath which appearance looked strange and antique.

    Because he felt that only by carrying the sword this way he could maintain his movement at the sharpest state. It would also enable him to draw his sword the fastest.

    But now, ‘sharp’ and ‘fast’ were not his focus.

    In these aspects, he had already surpassed it, he had already surpassed himself, surpassed his sword.

    He had surpassed the limits of his own self, he had surpassed the limits of his sword.

    ‘Surpass’ is by no means a simple matter. It is not easy at all. Anything that you want to surpass, you must be willing to pay the price.

    Considerable price.

    Taking a bath, changing clothes, fixing his hair, trimming his nails; these were originally things that Ximen Chuixue would never do himself.

    Famous actress, famous courtesans, famous women of various capacities could do this kind of things for him, but he would not do it himself.

    Because he was a noble among people, a god among the swords.

    Even Lu Xiaofeng once said, “That man Ximen Chuixue, he is basically not a human.”

    Things that everyone loves, he did not love; things that everyone does, he did not do. He appeared to be detached far away from the human world. His sword has cut him off from the world.

    He himself preferred it this way.

    The unexpected thing was, he ‘came across’ something; he came across a girl, he met a girl who pulled him back to the human world.

    Anybody would find no way to avoid this kind of thing, even Ximen Chuixue was no exception.

    Therefore, he had no choice but did some ‘humanly’ things:

    Met, fell in love, got married, settled down, and had a child.

    So much so that he grew feeling just like ordinary human being.

    Therefore, he was nearly defeated, he nearly died; defeat equals to death. In the battle ‘On the night of the full moon, on the summit of violent forbidden’ [see my note in Chapter 13] he nearly died under Master of White Cloud Castle Ye Gucheng’s Outer Heaven Angel. [Translator’s note: (One) now we have confirmation that Chapter 13 was referring to ‘that’ duel, which puzzles me to no end – didn’t Ximen Chuixue see Lu Xiaofeng in Book 4, Book 5 and Book 6? (Two) ‘Outer Heaven Angel’, orig. ‘immortal flying to the outer space’.]

    Ximen Chuixue may die, but he must not be defeated.

    Ximen Chuixue’s sword can never be defeated; moreover, it will become one of the legends of mankind.

    It was a fact that he must protect, because not only it was his responsibility, it was his destiny as well.

    Therefore, he must stay in the ‘godly’ state; the god of swords.

    Therefore, he must separate himself from mankind.

    Therefore, after his wife gave birth to a child, after his most beloved woman gave birth to his only child, his own flesh and blood, he separated himself from them.

    It was the price he had to pay.

    Ximen Chuixue silently strapped his sword; he silently walked out the narrow door.

    Regardless of where the door is located, it could be considered belong to him; it belonged to him alone.

    Because he was Ximen Chuixue.

    Because the door was the door between life and death.

    Outside the moon was bright.

    (Four)

    Sikong Zhaixing has already ordered his meal.

    The waiter has been waiting respectfully, standing bolt-upright waiting for his order. Although as he stood straight his legs trembled a little.

    But after he heard the order, his countenance changed slightly.

    Sikong Zhaixing’s order was –

    “A plate of stir-fried green vegetables, a plate of plain cooked tofu, two plain boiled eggs, two plain mantou [steamed bun], a pot of plain water.”

    In this world, there are countless cities, towns, and villages; in each place there are countless inns, restaurants and stalls that sell wine, sell meals; nobody knows how many waiters are there in all these places.

    One thing that we can be sure of, no matter where, no matter which inn, restaurant or food stall, no matter what kind of waiter, upon hearing a customer ordering such ‘dishes’, their countenance would definitely change. It would be strange indeed if his countenance does not change.

    The waiter in Zhuangyuan Lou was staring at Sikong Zhaixing, as if a young, rich playboy had suddenly found himself to be a eunuch. Furthermore, there was a woman sitting next to the eunuch.

    Although Beef Soup did not look particularly surprised, she did not look particularly upset either; in short, her expression did not noticeably change. Yet she could not help asking Sikong Zhaixing, “What did you just order for us?”

    “Are you deaf?”

    “I am not.”

    “What I have just ordered, you did not hear?”

    “I heard it.” Big Miss Niu said, “I just have some suspicions.”

    “What suspicions?”

    “I am suspecting you.” Beef Soup said, “I suspect whether you are really the thief king of kings who disperse gold like stone.”

    “Oh?”

    “I heard that although that thief king has never stolen anything valuable, but he has more money than anybody else.”

    “Why?”

    “Because the stuffs that he stole, he stole it because someone asked him to.” Beef Soup said, “And anybody who wanted him to steal something must pay him lots and lots of money. I heard that once he stole a chamber pot, and the man who asked him to steal unexpectedly had to pay him fifty thousand taels.”

    She asked Thief King Sikong, “Is there such thing?”

    Sikong Zhaixing sighed, “If a pretty and cute girl told me that there is such thing, how can I say no?”

    Beef Soup laughed.

    Her laughter did not seem to look like a cow, it did not look like meat, did not look like soup even more. [Translator’s note: beef soup, orig. ‘niu rou tang’ – cow meat soup.]

    If someone says that when she laughed she looked like a bowl of soup, then this bowl of soup was definitely not beef soup; rather, it was a bowl of sweet, sweet jujube fruit and lotus seed soup.

    “If by stealing one chamber pot he made fifty thousand taels, wouldn’t this thief king be a very rich man by now?”

    “He would have.”

    “Usually a rich man is a bit more miserly! But this man is an exception.”

    “Oh?”

    “What’s more, he spends money like Lu Xiaofeng; sometimes he even spends money faster than Lu Xiaofeng.”

    “Knowing how to earn money is not a special skill; knowing how to earn and how to spend is.” Sikong Zhaixing said, “Knowing how to spend but not how to earn, that is a scoundrel; knowing how to earn without knowing how to spend, that is a b@stard!”

    Big Miss Niu laughed.

    “Being a scoundrel seems to be a bit better than being a b@stard!”

    “That’s for sure!”

    “Therefore, you are a b@stard.” Miss Niu said, “You are not a scoundrel who know how to spend but not how to earn, you are not a thief king who earn by the plateful and bowlful either, you are no more than a big b@stard who know how to earn without knowing how to spend, a super big b@stard.”

    Sikong Zhaixing looked as if he was dumbfounded from the curses; in all his life, he had never been scolded like this by anybody.

    He was the Thief King, just like Ximen Chuixue was the Sword God, just like Lu Xiaofeng was the Lu Xiaofeng.

    For people like them, they are not cursing others, that can be considered polite already; how could they let others curse them?

    Was this Big Miss Niu drunk?

    “Are you drunk?”

    “All I drank was plain water, how can plain water make me drunk?” Big Miss Niu said, “I just feel strange, someone who can make fifty thousand taels just by stealing chamber pot, how can he, when having dinner with a pretty and cute woman, only order plain?”

    “Plain?”

    “Plain vegetables, plain tofu, plain mantou, plain water.” Big Miss Niu sighed, “The way I see it, that Honest Monk, who is not honest, must be eating a bit better than you do.”

    “Why?”

    “Eating like this, how could he have any strength to produce little monk?”

    Sikong Zhaixing did not laugh; he sighed instead.

    “Now I know why that Lu Xiaoji [little chick] likes you.” Sikong Zhaixing said, “The way you speak seems to be cast from the same mold as his.”

    “Actually, is he Lu Sandan [three eggs] or Lu Xiaoji?” [See Chapter 14 on ‘three eggs’.]

    “He is both.” Sikong Zhaixing said, “Sometimes he is also Lu Xiaoniao [little bird], Lu Xiaogou [little dog].”

    “I kind of understand the Lu Xiaoniao thing, because he indeed flies like a little bird.”

    “Humph!”

    “But I don’t understand the Lu Xiaogou bit.” Miss Niu asked, “How could anybody call him Lu Xiaogou?”

    “Because his nose is even more potent than a dog’s; there’s a pile of sh1t eight thousand li away, he can still smell it.”

    Big Miss Niu wanted to laugh, but she restrained herself; she stared at Sikong Zhaixing with straight face for half a day.

    “What about you? Are you, after all, Sikong Zhaixing, or Mandi Chishi?”

    [Translator’s note: Sikong literally means ‘managing emptiness, i.e. sky’, Zhaixing means ‘picking/plucking star’. Mandi means ‘all over the earth’, Chishi means ‘eating crap/sh1t’.]

    Sikong Zhaixing was taken aback. “How can I be Mandi Chishi?”

    Naturally Big Miss Niu had her reasons.

    “Full earth [mandi] matches with empty sky [sikong], eating crap [chisi] matches with picking star [zhaixing], every word is superior.” Miss Niu said, “These things you eat are not much better than dog sh1t.”

    “This time you are wrong.” Sikong Zhaixing was not angry, “I ordered these things, just because right now I am practically not Sikong Zhaixing.”

    “Who are you then?”

    “Ximen Chuixue.” Sikong Zhaixing said, “Full earth matches with western gate [ximen], eating crap matches with blowing snow [chuixue], aren’t the words match very well?”

    “The match is indeed extremely well,” suddenly someone said, “It is well enough that you are qualified to eat a big pile of dog sh1t, plus a chop of a saber.”

    There was a table in the corner of the restaurant, on it sat a couple of husband and wife, they were both very old. The husband was slightly built and withered, the wife was rather plump; the husband was frowning and worried, the wife’s face was covered in smiles.

    There are actually a lot of husbands and wives like that in the world; if both the husband and the wife enthusiastically wanted to do ‘something’, the husband usually got the shorter end of the stick. Husbands who wanted their wives to be happy, oftentimes they tend to end up as slightly built, withered man with yellow faces and emaciated bodies.

    This husband and his wife were originally sitting in the far corner of the restaurant, all of a sudden the husband with yellow face and emaciated body was sitting on the table next to Sikong Zhaixing and Big Miss Niu.

    Naturally, those words about eating sh1t and getting a chop came from him.

    Naturally, Sikong Zhaixing simply had to ask him, “Did you say that I had to receive a chop of a saber?”

    “Yes.”

    “Why do I have to receive a chop?”

    “Because you are not Ximen Chuixue.” The old man said, “If you were Ximen Chuixue, then I am Mandi Chishi.”

    Sikong Zhaixing was dumbfounded again.

    This old man was sitting very far away, while he and Beef Soup were speaking so softly that even anybody sitting on the next table would not hear it. Yet this old man did.

    Who was this old man?

    If Sikong Zhaixing knew who this old man was, I am afraid he might faint immediately.

    -- The heaven above, the earth below, what could possibly make Sikong Zhaixing fainted?

    [1] Zhuangyuan is the top scorer in palace examination, lou refers to building with more than one story.

  6. #106
    Senior Member foxs's Avatar
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    Default Book 7 - Chapter 16

    Chapter 16 – Sikong Zhaixing plucked some kind of star

    (One)

    If there was anybody who said that Sikong Zhaixing’s disguising skill was not number one under the heavens, then perhaps nobody else in this world would dare to admit that his disguising skill was number one under the heavens.

    ‘Disguising skill’. These words sound very mysterious, people always feel that it is related somehow to some magical secret, and often involved Jianghu people in some exceptionally treacherous and sinister shady business.

    Actually, disguising skill involves no more than a very common technique. A very beautiful girl performing on stage could turn herself into a man with big beard. Isn’t it also a ‘disguising skill’?

    This sort of thing, like many other things, is easy to learn, but is very difficult to master.

    So, what stage has Sikong Zhaixing’s disguising skill reached?

    There is no way to describe it, and there is no way to explain it either. Just like Lu Xiaofeng’s fingers, Ximen Chuixue’s sword, nobody could ever describe what stage they had reached.

    No one can even imagine.

    But at least we can determine something: there is a limit to disguising skill.

    In very simple words:

    -- There is no disguising skill under the heavens that enable someone to completely disguise himself as someone else, while fooling people closest to him, friends and relatives.

    The most profound disguising skill can only disguise someone as another person who practically did not exist, or perhaps someone who did not have any friends or relatives who could recognize him up close; in other words, someone that no one else would be able to recognize.

    If one could reach this stage, then the disguising skill does have its worth; it is valuable enough that thousands and tens of thousands people take painstaking effort to learn it.

    Sikong Zhaixing’s disguising skill has, no doubt, reached this stage. It even surpassed that stage. So much so that even Lu Xiaofeng did not recognize him.

    Being able to make someone more-crafty-than-ghost like Lu Xiaofeng to not recognize him, his skill could be considered very good.

    Yet right now this little old man who was originally sitting far away in the corner was able to recognize him.

    What do you think? How good was this old man’s ability?

    The old man’s skill was superb, so good that he shocked Sikong Zhaixing.

    More surprisingly, the old man was able to hear them whispering in a very, very low voices, across a noisy room, separated by quite a few tables.

    And unexpectedly Sikong Zhaixing was not able to tell this man’s background. Faced with this kind of matter, how could Sikong Zhaixing not be shocked?

    Finally he surrendered. He sighed, and then let out a wry smile.

    “I admire you.” Sikong Zhaixing said to the little old man, “I know that you are also in disguise, but I can’t tell who you are, while you can see through me.”

    The little old man’s mouth curled; it was not clear whether he was smiling, or he was not smiling. He only told Sikong Zhaixing, “I don’t need your admiration, and I don’t want you to know who I am, I don’t want to know who you are even more.” The little old man said, “I only know that you are definitely not Ximen Chuixue.”

    The little old man talked to Sikong Zhaixing in a very nasty way, “Whether you are Zhang San, Li Si [i.e. ‘Tom, Dick or Harry’], turtle or b@stard, I don’t care. All I know is that you are not Ximen Chuixue, and that is enough.” The little old man said, “I am afraid I am not the only one who knows this.”

    Unexpectedly, he still continued, “I am afraid people in Jianghu with a bit faster and more abundant news network will never believe that at this moment Ximen Chuixue could accompany a young and pretty girl sitting in this place, eating plain mantou.”

    “Why?”

    “Because people in Jianghu with a bit faster and more abundant news network all know that right now Ximen Chuixue is not in Jiangnan [south of Yangtze river], neither is he in the Central Plains.” This little old man said, “Under such circumstances, how can there be a Ximen Chuixue in this place?”

    There is only one answer to this kind of question. The Ximen Chuixue in this place must be a fake.

    The little old man said, “Only under such circumstances was I able to tell that you are definitely not Ximen Chuixue.” He said, “Otherwise, how could I tell? Based on your disguising skill, how could anyone see through you?”

    Anything gets through me except horse fart[1]. This is the truth that has never changed throughout all ages, even someone like Sikong Zhaixing could not but succumb to it.

    And now he has indeed succumbed to it.

    Now he already felt that the little old man was not as suspicious as before, so much so that he even started to think that the little old man has grown a little cuter.

    It’s just that he still could not refrain from asking, “If Ximen Chuixue is really not in Jiangnan, and he is not in the Central Plains, then to which ‘seeing-ghost’ place did he go?”

    “He indeed went to a ‘seeing-ghost’ place.”

    Sikong Zhaixing looked at Big Miss Niu, Big Miss Niu looked at Sikong Zhaixing, the two of them asked at nearly the same time, “Is this ‘seeing-ghost’ place outside the Wall?”

    “That’s right.”

    “Is this ‘seeing-ghost’ place a small town called Huangshi?”

    “That’s right.”

    Big Miss Niu looked at Sikong Zhaixing, Sikong Zhaixing looked at Big Miss Niu, the two of them were stumped for words.

    The one having the last word was unexpectedly not a woman, but a man. Unexpectedly Big Miss Niu shut her mouth tight.

    “Although on the outside Ximen Chuixue often drinks only plain water, and eats only the simplest food, he is actually a very particular person, and he is a man who understands how to enjoy life very much.”

    Sikong Zhaixing tried to probe the little old man, “This time why did he leave his mountain villa that is covered with flowers like an embroidered work and is covering thousands of mu [unit area, approx. 1/15 of a hectare], to travel tens of thousands li away to a ghost place where the flowers are not fragrant, the birds do not sing, the fowls do not fly, the dogs do not jump, and the hares do not defecate?”

    No answer. He was asked back instead, “Do you know that once he traveled tens of thousands li just to avenge a total stranger?”

    “I seem to have heard it.”

    This fact, not only Sikong Zhaixing has heard it, probably everybody in Jianghu has heard it.

    “One time for the sake of ‘One Saber subduing Nine Divisions’ [referring to division of China during earliest dynasties] Zhao Gang, he rushed on horseback for three days and three nights to kill ‘Lightning Saber’ Hong Tao.”

    Sikong Zhaixing said, “Hong Tao’s ‘Jade-chain Lightning Eight-Saber’ was deadly, those who came under his saber seldom escape alive, while Zhao Gang was a complete stranger whom Ximen Chuixue had never met before.” Sikong Zhaixing sighed, “Thus it is clear that our merciless Great Swordsman would often do something like this for an inexplicable reason.”

    He asked the little old man, “Would you say that was what he did?”

    “In all sense of the word.” The little old man’s answer was definite, “Everybody would do something for an inexplicable reason from time to time; even you are no exception.”

    “Ximen Chuixue went to Huangshi this time, is it also for an inexplicable reason?”

    “That’s right.”

    “What was the reason?”

    “This time he also went for someone else’s sake.” The little old man said, “It’s just that this time it is a rare instance because he broke something.”

    “What did he break?”

    “He broke his own rule.”

    “I still don’t understand.”

    “When he put his hands to do something, very seldom was it because of a friend, because he practically does not have friends, and the friends that he has never asked him to do anything.” The little old man said, “Therefore, whenever he does something, almost always it was for a stranger.”

    “I always thought that whatever he is doing, he is doing it for his own sake.” Sikong Zhaixing said, “For all my life I have never seen anyone with more ego than he does.” He explained, “By ego, I am talking about selfishness.”

    The little old man laughed.

    Sikong Zhaixing looked down upon Ximen Chuixue, this is a fact that many people in Jianghu knew about. The reason was because Ximen Chuixue also looked down on him.

    “Maybe what you are saying is true, but this time, I know for sure that he is not doing it for himself, and it is not for a stranger either.” The little old man said, “This time, unexpectedly, he is doing it for a friend!”

    Sikong Zhaixing downed a big bowl of water as if it was a bowl of wine. “Our Great Master the Sword God can also do something like that for a friend?” he asked with a cold laugh.

    “Occasionally.”

    “Fortunately his friends are not many.” Sikong Zhaixing coldly said, “The number of people he killed is a hundred times greater than the number of his friends.”

    “Perhaps it is more than a hundred times.” The little old man said while stifling a laugh, “Because it is very likely that he only have one friend.”

    “And this friend of his is naturally that Lu Xiaogou.”

    “This Lu Xiaogou is, of course, Lu Xiaoji, Lu Xiaoniao, Lu Xiaochong [little worm], Lu Xiaogui [little demon], Lu Sandan.” The little old man said, “It takes a lot of chicken, worms, birds, demons and eggs to make one Lu Xiaofeng.”

    In this short time that they were talking, Big Miss Niu has been displaying her very gentle and refined manners, just like a real well-bred young lady of a distinguished family.

    But suddenly she sprang up just like a mother cat whose tail has just been stepped on by someone, and stared at the little old man. She started for a moment, but then suddenly she sat back down, gently and meekly, and gently and meekly shut her mouth again, without saying a single sentence, without saying a single word.

    We can even compliment her, because this time she did not even let out a single fart.

    The one who farted was someone else.

    “Are you saying that for Lu Xiaofeng, Ximen Chuixue has rushed thousands of li to that place where the birds do not lay eggs, the small town of Huangshi?” Sikong Zhaixing asked the mysterious little old man, “Are you farting?”

    “I am not.”

    In a very modest manner the little old man said, “In your presence, I do not even have the qualifications to fart. Even if I wanted to fart, I must hold it back. If someone is farting here, it can’t be me.”

    If it was not him, then it must be Sikong Zhaixing.

    (Two)

    This moment Ximen Chuixue was pushing the door to go out.

    Outside the sand was yellow like gold. There was also the bright crescent moon that looked like a wheel.

    Sikong Zhaixing started to eat his mantou.

    He ate mantou, because his tummy was hungry, he was so hungry that he felt like dying. When he was racking his brain, his tummy would get hungry real fast.

    But no matter how he racked his brains, he still could not figure out who the little old man, who was sitting in front of him, really was, and how he got to know all these things.

    Even if he racked his brains to an extent where he had to eat thirty-eight thousand mantou, he still could not figure it out.

    Yet the little old man knew what was going on in his mind, he even knew who he was.

    “Mr. Sikong, now can you invite this beautiful Miss to eat something that is not plain?”

    Sikong Zhaixing nearly jumped in surprise. “What did you say? What kind of man is Mr. Sikong?”

    “Sikong Zhaixing perhaps is not a man.” The little old man did not let Sikong Zhaixing get angry; he immediately continued, “Sikong Zhaixing perhaps is several dozen, several hundred, several thousand men; because this thief king of kings’ disguising skill is the most exquisite under the heavens, no one could reach up to it.”

    It was an old truth.

    -- Anything gets through me except horse fart! If an old truth did not make sense, how could it survive and be called ‘old’?

    Much less this time the little old man’s horse fart was unceasing; it continued ringing.

    “I know you are not Ximen Chuixue, because I know that he is outside the Wall.” The little old man said, “I know you are Sikong Zhaixing, just because I know that other than Sikong Zhaixing, there is no other person in the world who could pass as Ximen Chuixue, plus no one dared.”

    Sikong Zhaixing laughed, he already found out that the longer he looked at the little old man, the more he felt that he looked kind of cute.

    Question is: who was this little old man?

    If the question is not answered, even if Sikong Zhaixing was really a horse, and his butt was licked thirty-eight thousand times, he still could not let this little old man go.

    Therefore, he simply had to ask, “Now you already know who I am, may I know who you are?”

    This secretive and mysterious little old man’s reply was shocking; unexpectedly his answer was very clear-cut, “You may.”

    “I may?” Sikong Zhaixing did not seem to believe his own ears, “Really I may?”

    “Really.” The little old man’s reply was still that clear-cut, “When I say you may, you certainly may.”

    “In that case, can you tell me now?”

    Once time the little old man’s reply was shocking, because his answer was, “I can’t.”

    “You can’t?” While staring at the little old man, Sikong Zhaixing’s eyes seemed to be ready to fall out. “Why not?”

    “Because I don’t even know who I am; how can I tell you?”

    “Aren’t there one or two people in the world who could tell me who you are?”

    “Probably there is one.”

    “Who?”

    “It’s the little old granny who is sitting on the corner.”

    All little old grannies are the same, they will look a lot like that little old granny.

    Maybe she was not too old, or perhaps she was beginning to get old; maybe she was very pretty, or perhaps she was practically not pretty at all.

    Whether a woman will become an old granny or not, it has nothing to do with these things.

    Whether this little old granny was old or young, whether she was pretty or ugly, nobody knows. But anybody who saw her sitting quietly, properly and peacefully, in a safe corner, even if that person has never seen a woman before, he would think that she was a little old granny.

    Sikong Zhaixing has never considered her as anything other than a little old granny. But now he suddenly felt that this little old granny was not a little old granny at all.

    He had not seen the flaw, but he already felt something.

    -- When Lu Xiaofeng realized her disguise, it was precisely because of this kind of feeling.

    Sikong Zhaixing understood this logic.

    He knew that this time he was not facing a person at all, but a star.

    Just like he, himself, was also some kind of star.

    By the time he knew what kind of star he was picking [reminder: zhaixing means picking star], he had really passed out.

    [1] ‘qian chuan wan chuan, ma pi bu chuan’ – lit. thousand times bore through, ten thousand times bore through; horse’s fart (i.e. flattery) does not bore through (Courtesy of Sunnysnow during the Eagle Shooting Hero translation project.)

  7. #107
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    Default Book 7 - Chapter 17

    Chapter 17 – Bathing water inside the tent

    (One)

    Later on Big Miss Niu told her friends.

    “I saw it with my own eyes that day,” she said, “I saw Sikong Zhaixing walked over, he went to the little old granny, and the little old granny bent her finger, beckoning him to come over, and then she spoke a few words on his ear.”

    “And then what happened?”

    “And then I saw that Sikong Zhaixing, who disguised himself as Ximen Chuixue, pretending to be cold and emotionless, his expression changed instantly, his eye bulged as he stared at that little old granny, as if his eyeballs were about to pop out,” Big Miss Niu said.

    “And then what happened?”

    “And then his butts plopped onto a chair, his forehead was sweating, his eyes stared blankly, and he stayed like that for half a day before he finally stood up and walked back. His mouth was moving as if he was muttering to himself. He looked like a Taoist priest who was chanting a magic spell; nobody knew what he was saying.”

    “You did not hear it?”

    “I did not.”

    “And you did not find out who that little old granny was?”

    “You’ll never know.” Big Miss Niu said, “I can guarantee that even if Zhuge Liang came back to life, he would never guess who that little old granny was.”

    She said, “When Sikong Zhaixing returned to our table that day, his expression looked like he had seen a big head ghost in a bright daylight, a big head ghost whose head is bigger than a lower millstone.”

    (Two)

    When Big Miss Niu saw Sikong Zhaixing’s expression as he walked back, she could not help asking, “Did you just see a big head ghost?”

    “No.” Sikong Zhaixing said, “Too bad I did not, too bad there is no big head ghost in here.”

    “Too bad? What do you mean ‘too bad’?”

    “Too bad means too bad. I would rather see a big head ghost just now.”

    Big Miss Niu lowered her voice, “Are you saying that that little old granny is more terrifying than a big head ghost?”

    “Humph.”

    “Who is she?”

    “Humph.”

    “What do you mean ‘humph’?”

    “Humph means, even if I knew, I wouldn’t tell you.” Sikong Zhaixing said, “Much less I simply do not know.”

    “You are lying,” Big Miss Niu said, “This time I can see it clearly, you are lying.”

    This time Sikong Zhaixing did not even ‘humph’.

    Big Miss Niu sighed dramatically, “I can’t believe the world-famous Sikong Zhaixing, the thief king of kings is actually this kind of person; not only he is a liar, he is a coward as well. Others only said a few words on his ear, and he is scared like a turtle grandson, and does not even dare to release a fart.”

    Suddenly Sikong Zhaixing stood up; he grinned at her direction and said, “Goodbye.”

    Before he even finished saying these two words [zai jian], his shadow has already disappeared.

    Big Miss Niu was taken aback; she just sat there, seething with anger. Yet after staring blankly for half a day, she could not think of anything else.

    When Sikong Zhaixing wanted to leave, who could think of anything to stop him? Who could catch up with him? Even if Big Miss Niu’s magical power was more extensive, she could only look helplessly.

    She was really angry. That thief, the little thief, has promised to accompany her to the town of Huangshi, yet now he avoided the problem by walking away.

    But what’s the use of getting angry? Other than being pissed off at herself, whom else could she get angry at?

    To her surprise, that mysterious couple was still sitting on the same table, talking with each other in low voices, but it was unclear what they were talking about; sometimes they even sneaked a glance or two at her direction and smiled.

    Finally Big Miss Niu could not take it anymore; like a spring she suddenly sprang up off the chair and walked to the corner in big strides.

    When she arrived, Big Miss Niu was getting angrier.

    Unexpectedly the amount of food this yellow faced little old man with emaciated body and the hunched-back little old granny ate was more than two horses could eat.

    More irritating was that horses eat grass, this couple did not eat grass, neither did they eat ‘plain’ food.

    All they were eating was food that healthy people, people with good appetite, would eat.

    Coincidentally, our Big Miss Niu was a healthy person with good appetite, plus she was very hungry.

    More irritating still, not only these two old turtles did not invite her to sit down, they did not even show any sign that they were going to invite her to eat.

    Therefore, Big Miss Niu made a ‘resolution’; her mind was made up. And when this Big Miss was determined, she would do anything.

    Suddenly she sat down; she sat down on the chair that Sikong Zhaixing was sitting a moment ago. Picking up a pair of chopsticks, she started to eat. She ate all the good stuff, without being shy at all.

    The hunched-back little old granny looked at her in shock. She looked at her for half a day, and could not help but sighing, “Time has really changed. When I was a young girl, it was not like this.”

    “What was it like when you were young?” Big Miss Niu’s chopsticks did not even slow down.

    “In those days, even if people invited us to eat a bit of food, we still did not dare to move our chopsticks.”

    “In those days, you really did not move your chopsticks?” Big Miss Niu leaned over the table and giggled incessantly, she even forgot to eat the big piece of roast duck in green onion that was held between her chopsticks.

    Suddenly she felt that these two old turtles were not as annoying as she thought they were just a moment ago.

    Who would have thought that the little old granny did something that she could not stand.

    Unexpectedly she grabbed her hand and with eyes full of sympathy she looked at her and said in a very tender voice, “Little Miss, you must cheer up a bit, don’t let the grief overcome you.”

    “I am grieving?” Big Miss Niu seemed very surprised; in a very puzzled tone she said, “Who said I am grieving? I am not grieving at all!”

    The little old granny seemed to be more surprised, more puzzled, “You are not grieving? You really are not grieving at all?”

    “Why would I want to grief?” Big Miss Niu said, “Lao Taitai [Madame, a term of respect toward an elderly lady], could it be that you cannot see that I am a very cheerful person?”

    The old lady just sighed; she did not say anything.

    Big Miss Niu did not say anything either; she was about to resume eating, but all of a sudden she did not feel like eating anymore.

    There was something in these mysterious little old man and little old granny that made her lose her appetite.

    This ‘something’ was obviously a feeling, some kind of very, very strange feeling. We can even describe it as – an extremely strange feeling.

    Therefore, finally Miss Niu put down her chopsticks.

    Lao Taitai,” she said, “Didn’t you just console me not to be overcome with grief?”

    “Ay!” The old lady did not speak, she just sighed.

    “In that case, Lao Taitai, may I ask, do I have any reason to be overcome with grief?”

    “Ay, I don’t know.” The old lady said, “Time has indeed changed, I don’t know any more if this kind of matter should make people feel overcome with grief or not.”

    She sighed before continuing, “I only know that when I was a young girl, if I came across this kind of matter, not only I would be overcome with grief, I could have cried secretly for more than ten days to half a month.”

    Big Miss Niu began to feel anxious. “Lao Taitai, what has actually happened?”

    The old lady did not reply; she asked her a question instead, “Do you know that Ximen Chuixue has gone to Huangshi?”

    “I just heard about that.”

    “Do you know why he went there?”

    “He went to look for Lu Xiaofeng.” Big Miss Niu said, “Because, after all, he still considers Lu Xiaofeng his friend.”

    “You are wrong.” The old lady said, “He did not look for Lu Xiaofeng; because no one in this world will be able to find Lu Xiaofeng.”

    “Why?” Big Miss Niu was becoming more and more anxious, “Why?”

    “Because a living, breathing person will never find a dead person.” The old lady said, “If a living person wanted to find a dead person, he must die first.”

    She said, “Ximen Chuixue did not want to die, he went there to avenge Lu Xiaofeng.”

    -- Lu Xiaofeng had died in Huangshi, no doubt this news has spread like a wild fire in Jianghu.

    These old gentleman and old lady did not seem like they were lying, otherwise, how could they scare Beef Soup away?

    Big Miss Niu did not remember how she went down the restaurant, much less how she reacted after hearing the news.

    She only knew that right now she was already sitting underneath a branch of a big tree, and that she had been crying that she looked like a crying figurine.

    These days and those days are just the same, whether it is now or in the past, a normal girl with normal emotion would grieve over a man whom she likes.

    In one aspect, Big Miss Niu’s actions may not be considered too normal, but her feeling was definitely not less than any other girl.

    The tears that she shed were definitely not less than anyone’s.

    (Three)

    The yellow sandy soil on the plateau was blown by the wind, just like before.

    The town of Huangshi seemed to be a place the time has forgotten, or perhaps the people in Huangshi Town deliberately forgot about the time.

    Whether they were forgotten by time or they had forgotten the time, both cases had one thing in common.

    -- Nothing was changed.

    The town of Huangshi has not changed the least bit.

    When Ximen Chuixue walked into Huangshi, just like Lu Xiaofeng, the first thing he saw was a very poor street, and an extremely poor man.

    This poor man, so poor that he was about to die, was naturally the one who professed to be Beggar Clan’s twenty-third generation disciple Huang Xiaochong.

    When Huang Xiaochong saw Ximen Chuixue, unexpectedly his eyes also lit up, just like when he saw Lu Xiaofeng.

    Too bad Ximen Chuixue was not Lu Xiaofeng.

    Lu Xiaofeng might ask him where the inn was, but Ximen Chuixue only stared at him with cold eyes.

    Cold eyes like a pair of sharp arrows penetrating the bottom of Huang Xiaochong’s heart.

    Huang Xiaochong cowered as he asked, “Are you looking for an inn?”

    Ximen Chuixue did not reply. However, sometimes silence is also a kind of answer. At the very least, in Huang Xiaochong’s eyes, who was used to interpret others’ intention by looking at their expression, Ximen Chuixue’s silence was a kind of answer.

    The small wooden shed behind the ‘Big Eye Grocery Store’ has not changed either. There was still a wooden bed, and on the wooden bed there was a white bed sheet. The only difference was that the white bed sheet was brand new, bright and beautiful, and clean. As clean as Ximen Chuixue’s clothes.

    Huang Xiaochong’s eyes were looking at Ximen Chuixue’s eyes. Ximen Chuixue’s eyes were fixed on the red paper pasted above the headboard of the bed. It was the red paper listing the food and lodging cost.

    Huang Xiaochong tried to read Ximen Chuixue’s expression, but Ximen Chuixue’s expression was as cold as a thousand-year frozen ice. It was cold and hard; it was impenetrable even with a sword, much less a pair of human eyes.

    Therefore, Huang Xiaochong had no choice but to put on a smiling face as he said, “This is the only place to stay in Huangshi, will it be to Gongzi’s satisfaction?”

    “Of course it is. In here, other than food and lodging, all your needs will be served well; how can it not be to Gongzi’s satisfaction?”

    Naturally the one answering was not Ximen Chuixue, because the voice was clear and crisp; obviously it was a woman’s voice.

    Following the reply, the lady boss of ‘Big Eye Grocery Store’ walked in with swayed hips.

    With a coquettish smile on her face and exaggerated sway of her entire body, she walked straight toward Ximen Chuixue and said, “Gongzi …”

    Not only the lady boss was not able to continue, the smile also completely disappeared from her face.

    When snow encounters the warmth of the sun, naturally the snow will melt; however, a block of ice that has been frozen for thousands of years will not melt. Not only it will not melt, on the contrary, it will turn the sunshine cold, it will eclipse the warmth of the sun.

    Ximen Chuixue’s cold expression was enough to overwhelm the lady boss; he did not even cast a single glance toward the lady boss, he simply turned around and walked away. Then how could the lady boss continue whatever it was that she wanted to say? How could her smiling expression not disappear?

    GongziGongzi …” Huang Xiaochong followed behind Ximen Chuixue; he kept on calling.

    Like a deaf man Ximen Chuixue kept walking, straight toward the grocery store’s front door, and out to the street.

    To Huang Xiaochong, it was also a kind of answer.

    Huang Xiaochong was very disappointed. He could only look at Wang Dayan and the lady boss with helpless expression; his mouth really wanted to rain curses on Ximen Chuixue.

    His mouth opened, but he was dumbstruck; his two eyes grew big as he stared at the door.

    Wang Dayan and the lady boss also could not help staring at the door.

    -- Ximen Chuixue.

    Ximen Chuixue, who had just walked out the door, suddenly turned around and strode back in.

    The lady boss’ face immediately bloomed like spring flowers.

    Too bad Ximen Chuixue was Ximen Chuixue; he did not cast a single glance toward her. His eyes were fixed, not on anybody, but on something.

    His hands were reaching toward the thing he kept his eyes on.

    It was a folded fire paper and a stick of fireworks.

    With his left hand he picked up the fire paper and the fireworks, while his right hand flicked a yuanbao [silver or gold boat-shaped ingot] onto the sales counter.

    Naturally Ximen Chuixue’s action attracted lady boss and the others’ curiosity. They could not stop themselves from following him out the door.

    Why did Ximen Chuixue buy fire paper and fireworks?

    Very soon they had the answer to this question.

    Because as soon as Ximen Chuixue’s foot stepped on the sandy street of Huangshi, the fireworks in his hand immediately ‘whoosh!’ flew to the sky above the town of Huangshi.

    The fireworks burst out in the sky and in an instant producing bright sparks, which were then blown by the wind and disappeared to who knows where.

    However, Ximen Chuixue’s whereabouts was known by lady boss and the others, because he did not leave town at all.

    Not only he did not leave Huangshi, he even sat down on a rock in the street. He sat still, like an old monk meditating, but also resembled a block of cold ice that never saw sunlight all year long.

    The sun had disappeared; the western horizon was adorned with a strip of red clouds. The red glow was reflected upon Ximen Chuixue’s white clothes, so that he also appeared to be shrouded in red glow.

    The wind was blowing stronger. But the sound of whistling wind still could not hide the sound of galloping horses.

    Following the sound of horses’ hooves, twenty-four riders appeared on the yellow sandy road outside the town of Huangshi.

    The speeding horses galloped fast, but they also stopped fast.

    When they were about twenty zhang outside Huangshi town’s limit, all twenty-four horses stopped together.

    Maintaining their silence the riders jumped down. Twenty-four horses formed a rectangle.

    -- Who were these people? Why did they come here?

    These questions floated in lady boss and the others’ mind at this moment.

    Those twenty-four men, who had just jumped down from their horses, very skilfully and in rapid action carried out their work. From the degree of their proficiency, it seemed like these men had been doing this kind of work since they were little.

    Therefore, in less than the time needed to drink a cup of tea, the question in lady boss’ mind already had its answer.

    And the answer was not complicated.

    -- They came here to build a tent.

    The canvass of the tent was as white as snow, it was whiter than the clothes on Ximen Chuixue’s body, because Ximen Chuixue’s clothes had been blown by the blowing sand of Huangshi for several sichen.

    The tent was set up, another set of hoof beat was heard.

    But this time the hoof beat was only the clippity-clop of one horse.

    As soon as the tent was set up, those twenty-four men, still maintaining their silence, jumped back onto their horses and galloped away.

    Behind the dust kicked by these twenty-four horses, a carriage approached slowly. The person driving the carriage was wearing the exact same clothes as the men setting up the tent, i.e. simple black uniform.

    The carriage stopped in front of the tent. Immediately four men, also wearing simple black uniforms, jumped down from the back of the carriage. These four men jumped and landed on the ground in unison, because their bodies were connected by a pair of shoulder poles.

    On the shoulder poles was a large barrel, and the mouth of the barrel emitted hot white steam.

    They carried the large barrel into the tent.

    When the four men re-emerged from the tent, they still had the shoulder poles in their hands. They did not say anything either as they re-entered the carriage. The driver immediately pulled the reins, the horse turned around and quietly slipped away, returning to the direction it came from.

    Just then, a strange phenomenon happened.

    Clearly it was only one carriage left, but suddenly it sounded like there were two carriages going away.

    “What magic trick are they playing?” The little beggar Huang Xiaochong could not help voicing the question in their minds.

    “Are you asking me?” The lady boss looked at the little beggar and said, “Then whom should I ask?”

    The lady boss did not need to ask anybody, because she already saw two carriages crossing each other.

    The so-called strange phenomenon was actually another carriage rushing toward Huangshi Town.

    The incoming carriage’s driver wore the same uniform as the departing carriage’s driver. Apparently they were of the same group of people.

    The incoming carriage also halted at the exact same spot as the departing carriage.

    “What do you think is coming this time?” the little beggar looked at the lady boss and asked. His expression looked as if he already knew what was inside the carriage.

    “Do you think it’s another barrel? Do you think they are going to do some fortune-telling [orig. ‘looking at a thousand li’] or trying to resurrect Zhuge Liang?” the lady boss said.

    “How did you know that I’d guess there is another wooden barrel inside?” the little beggar asked.

    “Because I am as stupid as you are,” the lady boss said.

    There was a reason why the lady boss said that she was stupid, because she already saw who were getting down from the carriage. Not men in black, but people in white. Not big, burly men, but elegant, dainty young girls.

    Four young girls, two held a torch in each hand, one carried a set of pure white clothing in her hands, the last one held a big bath towel with both hands.

    Four young girls went into the tent, and the carriage immediately departed.

    Very soon the tent lit up.

    -- No matter which tent, if there were four torches inside, it will be bright inside; much less a spotlessly white, almost translucent tent?

    “I know what those people are doing in here,” the little beggar was very pleased with himself.

    “You do? You really know?” the lady boss asked.

    “I do, I really know.”

    “What are they doing here?”

    “They came here to deliver the bath water.”

    The lady boss raised her hand to smack the little beggar’s head, but her hand did not hit the little beggar’s head, not because the little beggar dodged her, but because the lady boss suddenly realized something.

    She realized that the little beggar was not joking. These people were indeed delivering water for bath. Thereupon with eyes wide open, with jaw dropped, she said, “He is really Ximen Chuixue?”

    “No kidding! Other than Ximen Chuixue, is there anyone else who enters Huangshi Town without saying anything?” the Little Beggar said.

    “Right. Other than Ximen Chuixue, who else so loves cleanliness that he can’t stand staying at Huangshi’s only luxurious hotel – my grocery store?” For a moment the grocery store’s lady boss seemed to have become wiser.

    “Coming to Huangshi Town, blown by yellow sand for a day, other than Ximen Chuixue, who would think of taking a bath and change clothes?” The little beggar’s expression became even more proud of himself.

    Lady boss suddenly frowned.

    “What’s wrong with you?” the little beggar asked.

    “What’s wrong? Didn’t you see how many people Ximen Chuixue brought to Huangshi?”

    The little beggar laughed; he said, “Don’t worry, if Ximen Chuixue rely on numbers to score victory, long ago he has ceased to become Ximen Chuixue. The reason Ximen Chuixue is Ximen Chuixue, is precisely because he always acts alone.”

    “But those men in black, how do you explain that?”

    “They are his servants; that’s all. In this aspect, Ximen Chuixue’s behavior is like a young master of a rich and powerful family, not like a swordsman.”

    Thereupon, the lady boss’ eyebrows leveled down again.

    Those men in black were delivering bath water for Ximen Chuixue, because as soon as everything was ready, Ximen Chuixue stood up from the rock where he had been sitting, and walked toward the tent.

    “Let’s go.” When the grocery store boss saw Ximen Chuixue entered the tent, he turned around toward the shop.

    “Go? If you want to go you may leave first,” the lady boss said.

    “Why? Don’t tell me you want to watch Ximen Chuixue taking a bath,” the little beggar’s eyes grew big.

    “You are really smart,” the lady boss said with a sweet laughter, “One guess and you nailed it.”

    “Is someone taking a bath good to watch?” the grocery store boss asked.

    “Other people taking a bath are not good to watch, but the swordsman of this age, Ximen Chuixue taking a bath, it is a good show, one in a million chance.”

    The grocery store boss knitted his eyebrows; he turned around and walked away.

    “Wait!” the little beggar suddenly called out.

    “What? Do you also want to watch Ximen Chuixue taking a bath?”

    “Shhh! Listen,” the little beggar said.

    Hoof beats. One horse’s hoof beats.

    The grocery store boss looked at the little beggar, the little beggar looked at the lady boss, the lady boss looked at the grocery store boss.

    No wonder they looked at each other in bewilderment; the tent was set up, the bath water was delivered, the change of clothes were ready, four women to help him taking a bath have all arrived, what was this horse doing?

    Very soon they saw the horse, and then the rider as well.

    The rider this time was not a big man wearing black, instead it was a woman wearing floral cloth.

    The woman galloped the horse straight toward the tent, and then she flew down from the horse, and rushed into the tent.

    But just as quick she came back out. However, when she was outside, she did not mount her horse, instead, she led the horse in the direction of the lady boss.

    “You have business tonight,” the little beggar said to the grocery store boss.

    “What business?”

    “The broken down room behind your store, someone is going to stay there tonight.”

    “How do you know?”

    “Didn’t you see the woman went in and went back out right away? She must be thinking of spending the night with Ximen Chuixue in the tent, but she was kicked out. Ximen Chuixue must have recommended the Huangshi Town’s one and only luxurious hotel – your grocery store.”

    “Since you saw Ximen Chuixue, how many sentences did he say to you altogether?” the grocery store boss asked.

    “Not even one.”

    “Then you’d think Ximen Chuixue would want to waste his breath and recommend my luxurious hotel to this woman?”

    The little beggar scratched his head. “It doesn’t matter if he did not recommend anything, in any case, your place is the only place in Huangshi where she can spend the night. If she is thinking of staying, you will have this business.”

    The grocery store boss did not answer him, because the woman was already near.

    “Are you looking for a place to stay?” At the sight of this good-looking woman, the little beggar’s eyes lit up.

    “Yes, I am looking for a place to stay, but that is a secondary matter.”

    “I know what your first priority is,” the smile on little beggar’s face grew even brighter.

    “You really know?”

    “Of course. Those who seek lodging are usually people who have travelled a long way, so they must be hungry. Their first priority must be to find something to eat. So your first priority must also be looking for a place to eat. Isn’t that right?”

    “Wrong.”

    “Oh?”

    “First, even if I want to find something to eat, I will only eat food that I personally prepare. Second, before I came here, I already ate till I was full.”

    “Then you …”

    "I'm here to convey a message.”

    “A message? What message?”

    “Ximen Chuixue’s message.”

    “…” the little beggar was speechless, his jaw dropped.

    “He wants you to give us what message?” the lady boss opened her mouth.

    “When I entered the tent a moment ago, do you know what he said?”

    “What?” the little beggar asked.

    “He said, ‘Go away.’”

    “And thus you came here? He did not tell you to convey any message at all!” the little beggar said.

    “He did.”

    “He did? I don’t get it.” The little beggar scratched his head.

    “You will understand soon. Because when he said ‘Go away’, he did not tell me to go away, but he wants you to go away.”

    “How do you know he did not tell you to go away? How can he tell us to go away? You were the one who entered his tent!”

    “Correct. However, entering the tent was not a crime; watching people taking a bath is.” The woman looked at the lady boss and said, “He wanted me to pass on a message, although it was only ‘go away’ two words, the meaning of these two words is that he wanted me to tell you to go away, don’t peek a man taking a bath.”

    “What are you to him?” the lady boss said, “Are you the worm inside his belly? Otherwise, how do you know what he meant?”

    “Of course I know what he meant.”

    “Why?”

    “Because I am his friend. Ximen Chuixue has never told his friend to go away.”

    The lady boss did not say anything, the little beggar and the grocery store boss did not say anything either.

    After looking at the red paper pasted on the wall of the little wooden shed behind the grocery store, the woman said to the lady boss, “I decided to stay. Do I need to pay first?”

    “Of course,” the little beggar said.

    “I didn’t ask you. Who’s the boss here, anyway?”

    The little beggar was speechless.

    After receiving fifty qian, the lady boss winked at the little beggar, then turned around and walked out the door.

    “Hold on,” the woman said.

    “What now? Could it be that you still want to convey Ximen Chuixue’s message?” the little beggar said.

    “Strange. How did you know?”

    -- Did she really have a message from Ximen Chuixue?

    The little beggar could not help scratching his head again. “Didn’t you say that you entered the tent, he only said to you two words, ‘go away’?”

    “That’s right. But these two words carried a number of meanings; do you know?”

    “How was I to know? I just find out that you are unreasonable to the limit.”

    “And you found out only now? Do you know my name? My name is Beef Soup; the name itself is unreasonable enough.”

    The little beggar was dumbfounded.

    “Listen up, Ximen Chuixue said, you, town people, tomorrow from the sun up ‘till it shines on your butt, one by one you must come to his tent, he has a question to ask you.”

    “Who does he think he is? The Emperor [huang di]?” the little beggar said.

    “That’s right, right now he is the Huangshi Town’s local tyrant [tu huang di],” Beef Soup said.

    “If we don’t come?” the lady boss said.

    “Don’t come? Don’t come is alright, but, if you don’t come, I am afraid later on you won’t be able to walk anymore.”

    “Why?”

    “Can someone who has no legs walk?”

    (Four)

    Sunshine, it made the flying sandy dust even more prominent. Sunshine, it also illuminated the white tent outside Huangshi Town even more radiant and stood out.

    The front part of the tent was wide open, revealing a table inside the tent, and on either side of the table sat two people.

    One was Ximen Chuixue with his grave and stern expression, the other was Beef Soup with cheery, lovely smile on her face.

    On the table there were dishes, dishes of delicacies. On the table there was also wine, strong wine.

    Beef Soup pointed to a lone figure walking out from Huangshi Town, “They are here! They are here!”

    Ximen Chuixue’s expression was still as cold as ever.

    Beef Soup seemed to be totally at ease with the cold expression, still with her silver-bell like cheery voice she said, “Last night I took the initiative to have all Huangshi Town people to come here one by one. Just look, the first one is here.”

    Ximen Chuixue still did not open his mouth. The only movement he made was picking up the wine cup and slowly sipping the wine inside.

    “When they are here, I will act on your behalf to question them, to ask them about Lu Xiaofeng’s whereabouts. What do you think?”

    Still he did not open his mouth.

    “But let me make it clear first: everything I say will be your idea. If anything is wrong and they want to fight, uh, this fight, it must be you who deal with it.”

    Ximen Chuixue still did not speak; he still fixed his gaze on the person approaching the tent with the same cold eyes.

    “Who’s coming?” Beef Soup asked.

    The man looked at Ximen Chuixue. When his eyes made contact with those as-sharp-as-arrow cold eyes, he promptly averted his gaze to look at Beef Soup instead.

    “I am surnamed Zhao, I am called Zhao Xiazi.” [Reminder: ‘xia zi’ means ‘blind guy’.]

    “Your eyes are not blind, why are you called Zhao Xiazi?”

    “This calling has no reason, just like Miss. You are not smelly like a cow, and you are not dripping wet like a bowl of beef soup, why are you called Beef Soup?”

    “Whoa, your mouth is so formidable, I won’t argue with you. Right now I want to ask you, listen to me clearly, my question is not my own, but I am doing this on Ximen Chuixue Daxia’s behalf, you must answer it honestly. Otherwise, humph, humph, if your eyes match your calling, it won’t be too much fun.”

    “What does Miss wish to know?”

    “It’s not me who wanted to know, it’s this Ximen Daxia who wanted to know.”

    “Yes.”

    “Alright, let me ask you, have you seen Lu Xiaofeng?”

    “I have.”

    “Where?”

    “Here, in Huangshi Town.”

    “Alright, where is he now?”

    “Dead.”

    “Dead?” Beef Soup’s eyes widened, her mouth was also wide open.

    Yet Ximen Chuixue did not show any emotion.

    “You are not lying to me?” Beef Soup’s voice trembled a little.

    “If you don’t believe me, you can ask the next person.”

    “Of course I don’t believe you.” Beef Soup said, “Who would believe Lu Xiaofeng could die? Do you believe him?” Beef Soup looked at Ximen Chuixue, with a slightly trembling voice she asked again, “Do you believe him?”

    Ximen Chuixue did not answer, his eyes were fixed on another person coming out of Huangshi Town.

    It was the little beggar.

    Next to him was the grocery store boss, followed by the lady boss.

    They all said the same thing: “Lu Xiaofeng is dead.”

    Did Beef Soup finally believe?

    “I don’t believe it. There is one more person; if he also says that Lu Xiaofeng is dead, perhaps I will believe.”

    “Who?” the lady boss asked before she left.

    “Sha Dahu.”

    Sha Dahu did not come. He only sent a servant who worked at his home. This servant brought an invitation that said that none outside the Great Wall did not admire Ximen Chuixue’s great name, and he wanted to invite him to share an evening meal in his residence.

    When Beef Soup finished reading what was written on the invitation, she was both angered and anxious. Suddenly she took out three hourglasses from her pocket.

    Placing the three hourglasses on the table, she said to the servant, “Do you see these three hourglasses?”

    The servant nodded.

    “When I turn the first one upside down, the sand will immediately flow to the bottom. By the time the sand drains out, you will already reach Sha Dahu’s place. Do you understand?”

    The servant nodded.

    “The second one, I will turn upside down when the first one is finished. When the sand is drained out, that will be the time Sha Dahu arrives here. Do you understand?”


    The servant nodded.

    “Now the third one. If Sha Dahu is here, then I won’t use it. If he does not come, before the sand is emptied, Sha Dahu’s head will be gone. Do you believe it?”

    “I believe, I believe.”

    “Then you’d better go back immediately, I am turning the first hourglass upside down right now.”

    The servant was so scared that his face was deathly pale; he ran away like a dog.

    (Five)

    Very soon all the sand in the first hourglass dropped to the bottom. Beef Soup looked at Ximen Chuixue, she said, “That servant should have arrived by now, right?”

    Ximen Chuixue did not speak, he did not even cast a single glance toward the hourglass.

    But Beef Soup already turned the second hourglass upside down. Unexpectedly the hand that was holding the hourglass trembled a little.

    Was she afraid that Sha Dahu was not coming? Or was she afraid Sha Dahu would also declare that Lu Xiaofeng was dead?

    Whether she was afraid or not, what was about to come will eventually come.

    Fear. It was just like the sand in the hourglass, bit by bit it accumulated and gradually began to take shape.

    The sand in the second hourglass too would flow to the bottom.

    From the distance, the figure of Sha Dahu was traveling in haste.

    Beef Soup’s entire body trembled slightly, again.

    Unexpectedly, this time Ximen Chuixue caught that Beef Soup was trembling; for the first time he opened his mouth, “Calm down!”

    These two words were cold, but they had the desired warming effect; Beef Soup stopped trembling.

    Beef Soup indeed calmed down. Her voice was calm when she spoke to Sha Dahu, who was coming near, “You must be Sha Dahu?”

    “That’s right, all the town people call me Sha Dahu.”

    “That’s right, you do look a lot like a man from a ‘dahu’ [rich family].” [See Chapter 3 and 4 for explanation on Sha Dahu’s name.]

    “Miss Niu praised me too much.”

    “I did not praise you, to be a man from a rich family you must have a clear view of things; people who cannot adapt to current circumstances, can they become a ‘dahu’ in other places?”

    Sha Dahu laughed; he just laughed blindly.

    Beef Soup added, “However, whether you can continue being a ‘dahu’ in the future, it remain to be seen!”

    “Oh? Why?”

    “Because we need to see if right now you have a clear view of things or not.”

    “If I do not have a clear view of things, would I stand right here right now?”

    “That’s good. Now I am representing Ximen Daxia here to ask you a question, you must answer me honestly.”

    “What question? Is it the same question you have been asking the other town people?”

    “Since you already know, why don’t you answer directly?”

    “How am I supposed to respond?” Sha Dahu asked.

    “Give me an honest answer, and that is good enough.”

    “Honest answer? You don’t believe an honest answer anyway!”

    Beef Soup’s countenance changed dramatically, it became deathly pale, she tried to open her mouth, but nothing came out.

    A drop of tear started to appear at the corner of her eyes, it grew bigger and bigger, finally it slowly rolled down her cheek.

    When she opened her mouth again, her voice broke, “You mean, he … he is already ... already dead?”

    Sha Dahu’s voice suddenly sounded very cold. “That’s right, he is already dead!”

    Beef Soup was unable to speak; she covered her face with both hands.

    Ximen Chuixue spoke another short sentence, “Do you have any proof?”

    “I do.”

    (Six)

    Of course the best proof was Lu Xiaofeng’s body.

    And if they wanted to see Lu Xiaofeng’s body, naturally they had to go to the coffin shop.

    Sha Dahu told them that.

    For most people, when they die, their bodies will be buried in the grave, but why was it that if they wanted to see Lu Xiaofeng’s body they had to go to the coffin shop?

    Because nobody came to collect the body; people of Huangshi Town would not bury him.

    It was also what Sha Dahu had told them.

    By the time Sha Dahu finished speaking, they have arrived at the coffin shop, as if he had already calculated everything he wanted to say, not a single word more, not a single word less; he talked right until they reached the coffin shop’s front door.

    Zhao Xiazi seemed to know that they were coming. He humphed and said, “When I said it, you did not believe, Sha Dahu said it, you believed. Ay! This is called ‘the truth still relies on power and influence’!”

    What he said was very reasonable, too bad it was like an empty word, because the others did not even seem to realize that he existed. They simply strode over and entered the coffin shop.

    This time Beef Soup was crying openly. Not only did she cry, she was practically bawling. But when she saw the coffin and the memorial tablet in front of the coffin, how could she not be grieved?

    Even Ximen Chuixue’s always grave and stern expression appeared to change slightly.

    Because the words written on the memorial tablet was ‘deceased friend Lu Xiaofeng’.

    Ximen Chuixue opened his mouth again. The words he said are always short and simple. He only said two words, “Open up.”

    “I knew that there would be people who want to see him,” Zhao Xiazi said, “Hence I never nailed the coffin shut.”

    “Open up.” Ximen Chuixue was still saying those two words.

    Zhao Xiazi cast a glance toward Sha Dahu; the two of them quickly lifted the coffin lid and put it down on the floor.

    Beef Soup was crying even louder.

    Zhao Xiazi suddenly looked at Beef Soup and said, “You are crying blindly; do you know for sure that the one lying in the coffin is the one you mentioned, the Lu Xiaofeng?”

    Beef Soup stopped crying. Her eyes grew big as she stared at Zhao Xiazi for a long time, before she finally walked slowly toward the side of the coffin.

    Beef Soup looked carefully at the man in the coffin; she looked at his face, she also looked at the fatal wound on his chest.

    And then, she suddenly laughed.

    Throwing her head back, she laughed loudly; pointing her finger to Zhao Xiazi, she said, “You are really funny; you went so far as to say that he is not Lu Xiaofeng …”

    Her laughter suddenly turned into very sad wailing.

    Ximen Chuixue stared at Lu Xiaofeng’s body for a long time, but the expression on his face did not change at all.

    He kept staring until Beef Soup wailing became crying, and then from crying it turned into sobs. Only then did he speak, and what he said was still two words, “Close up.”

    By the time the coffin lid had been returned to its original place, Beef Soup had stopped crying.

    Suddenly Ximen Chuixue said two more words, “Get down.”

    When Ximen Chuixue spoke those two words, he did not lift up his head at all. The ones who looked up were Beef Soup, Sha Dahu and Zhao Xiazi.

    As soon as they looked up, they saw someone hanging under the eaves, with his face looking in through the window. This face soon became a figure, which, using some kind of continuous crawling technique, rolled down along the wall.

    “Little beggar!” Zhao Xiazi opened his mouth, “What are you doing hiding outside the window? Trying to steal my coffin?”

    “Shut your crow’s beak up! Why would I want to steal a coffin? If I want to steal, it won’t be from you.”

    “So, what are you doing?”

    “Nothing. I came here to deliver an invitation.”

    “Deliver an invitation? For who?”

    “Not you, for sure. With your freakish appearance, who would want to send you any invitation? It’s for this Ximen Daxia.”

    The content of the invitation was very simple; it only had thirty-five characters:

    Heard Daxia has come from afar, cannot help admiring, although your maidservant has been exiled to the other end of the world, I simply have to seize the opportunity to pay my respect. Tomorrow at wu hour [between 11am – 1pm], only using coarse tea, to wash the dust from my lord. [Translator’s note: trust me, the original Chinese does have 35 characters.]

    Based only on these 35 characters, how could Ximen Chuixue agree to keep the appointment?

    Of course not. He came to look for Lu Xiaofeng. Lu Xiaofeng was dead, he must investigate the cause of Lu Xiaofeng’s death, how could he have the mood to enjoy coarse tea?

    However, he must go. Because, on the margin of the invitation, there was another line of characters.

    P.S. Lu Daxia’s cause of death, your maidservant has slight knowledge of it.

  8. #108
    Senior Member foxs's Avatar
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    Default Book 7 - Chapter 18

    Chapter 18 – Feast without good feast

    (One)

    If anybody ever questioned who was the person in Jianghu who did not understand courtesy the most, the answer would be very simple.

    -- Ximen Chuixue.

    A man who never talked too much, naturally would not engage in senseless chit-chat.

    Therefore, technically speaking, as long as one understood Ximen Chuixue’s character, one could not possibly say that he did not understand courtesy.

    Therefore, in Jianghu, the next person in the list considered as did not understand courtesy would be:

    -- Beef Soup.

    Not only she did not understand courtesy, she did not even speak in courteous manner.

    Because as soon as she saw Gong Susu, she immediately asked in a threatening manner, “Do you know the cause of Lu Xiaofeng’s death?”

    If anybody ever questioned who was the person in Jianghu with the best self-cultivation, then perhaps Gong Susu must be counted.

    Because as Gong Susu heard Beef Soup’s question, not only she was not angry, her countenance did not change the least bit either. Just like before, she maintained her cool, elegant, magnificent, and noble expression.

    She merely heaved a deep sigh and said, “Such a good person, why must he die so early?”

    “Who killed him?” Beef Soup pressed on.

    Gong Susu heaved a deep sigh again and said, “Lu Xiaofeng was the person I admire the most, unexpectedly he died in Huangshi Town; I am extremely grieved.”

    “Speaking about grieving, I should be the one who grieve the most,” Beef Soup said.

    “Why?”

    “Don’t you know my relationship with him?” Beef Soup asked, “Tell me quickly, who killed him? I must avenge him.”

    “Who killed him? Who was capable of killing Lu Xiaofeng? The person who can kill him was naturally the person closest to him, the one he did not guard against the most.”

    “Who?”

    “You’ll find out soon enough. I already sent people to find them. Before they arrive, why don’t we drink two cups, to toast Lu Daxia’s spirit in heaven?”

    Gong Susu heaved a deep sigh again. She picked up her cup and drained it in one gulp.

    Beef Soup also picked up her cup and drained it in one gulp.

    Even Ximen Chuixue, who was rarely seen moving too fast, also drank his wine in one gulp. Finished drinking, he removed the cup from his mouth and put it back on the table.

    At this moment, his right hand was still holding the cup.

    At this moment, the only movement he made was putting down the cup on the table.

    At this moment, someone suddenly flew out of the muslin curtain behind him; someone whose hand wielded a sword. A woman.

    The instant Ximen Chuixue was putting down a wine cup was the best instant to kill him. Because he had just finished his wine, his attention was not focused, plus he was putting down the cup, his right hand was relaxed, it did not move too fast.

    Apparently this woman had calculated that her one strike would hit the target.

    She was mistaken.

    If Ximen Chuixue was that easy to be hit, long ago he was not Ximen Chuixue anymore, but a dead man.

    Dead men can’t move; Ximen Chuixue could.

    Borrowing the force as he pressed the cup onto the table, Ximen Chuixue’s body flew diagonally to the right.

    When the woman’s strike failed, she did not continue the attack; she just stood motionless in the middle of the room, facing Ximen Chuixue.

    Still with cold expression Ximen Chuixue also stood motionless, as if he did not even see this woman.

    Gong Susu sprang up, and shout in a loud voice, “Gong Ping, what do you think you are doing?”

    “I heard that Ximen Gongzi’s swordsmanship has been trained to ‘without-sword’ state. I want to experience it.”

    “Humph! I say you are tired of living!” Beef Soup said.

    Gong Ping did not even cast a glance toward Beef Soup, her eyes were fixed on Ximen Chuixue. “Draw your sword.”

    “I really think that you are really tired of living,” Beef Soup said, “How dare you tell Ximen Daxia to draw his sword. Do you know the consequences once he draws his sword?”

    Just like before, Gong Ping still ignored her.

    Yet Beef Soup was still talking, “Your death is decided.”

    With a cold laugh Gong Ping said, “There is always an exception to everything.”

    Finished speaking, she raised her sword and thrust it toward Ximen Chuixue. In one breath she attacked twenty-four strokes.

    With unbelievable speed Ximen Chuixue changed the position of his body twenty-four times; and then there was a flash of sword.

    Nobody saw how and when Ximen Chuixue drew his sword, and nobody saw how Ximen Chuixue’s sword stabbed Gong Ping; what they saw was just a flash.

    It was exactly in that flash that Gong Ping fell.

    (Two)

    When Gong Ping landed on the floor, she let out a cry, ‘Huh!’

    And right after the ‘huh!’ came Sha Dahu’s laughter. “Good swordsmanship!” Sha Dahu walked in while clapping his hands.

    “Ximen Chuixue’s ‘without-sword’ state is indeed a fully justified reputation.” Behind Sha Dahu, the lady boss, the grocery store boss and the little beggar Huang Xiaochong also walked in.

    The grocery store boss looked at Ximen Chuixue and Beef Soup, and said, “Actually, I already knew the murderer long ago.”

    “Who is it?” Beef Soup asked.

    The boss only laughed without replying; the one replying was the lady boss, “He practically does not have any idea who the murderer was.”

    “Why do you think that I did not know who the murderer was?”

    “If you did, wouldn’t you have said it sooner?”

    “Say it sooner? If I said it sooner, do you think I can stay alive until now?”

    The little beggar suddenly opened his mouth, “Aren’t you afraid the murderer would kill you to close your mouth?”

    “Kill me to close my mouth? Won’t that mean he is revealing his own identity?”

    “Actually, who is the murderer?” Beef Soup pressed again.

    “It would be best if the murderer is actually a lot of people.”

    This sentence was coming from the door.

    “Why?” the little beggar directed his question to Zhao Xiazi, who had just walked in.

    “Why? If there are more killers, won’t my coffin shop enjoy more business? Ha ha ha ha …”

    Ximen Chuixue’s grave and solemn expression suddenly betrayed a very-difficult-to-detect sneer; not only did he open his mouth, the number of words he said could be considered a lot. He said, “The murderers are indeed many.”

    Such words, naturally those who heard it were shocked.

    As a result, Beef Soup included, everybody seemed to be nailed on the spot with surprised look on their face; all eyes were fixed on Ximen Chuixue.

    Beef Soup could not help asking, “Who are they?”

    “He,” Ximen Chuixue pointed to Sha Dahu.

    “He,” Ximen Chuixue pointed to the boss, and then to the lady boss, Zhao Xiazi, the little beggar, and repeatedly said four ‘he’ and ‘she’ words. [Translator’s note: in Chinese, ‘he’ and ‘she’ are pronounced the same, ‘ta’, although the characters are not the same.]

    “There’s more.” Ximen Chuixue suddenly spoke two more words.

    “More?” Beef Soup’s eyes widened.

    “She,” Ximen Chuixue pointed to Gong Susu.

    Laughter suddenly filled the entire main hall of the house.

    Naturally those who burst out laughing were not Ximen Chuixue and Beef Soup, but the murderers Ximen Chuixue pointed his finger at.

    It was a very proud laughter. It has made Beef Soup very surprised, because she knew that based on these people’s ability, Ximen Chuixue could easily put them under control, how could they still laugh? Could it be that it was because they were not the murderers?

    Very soon she had the answer to her question.

    Because Gong Susu suddenly stopped laughing and said, “Ximen Chuixue, you have guessed correctly. Everybody in Huangshi Town is Lu Xiaofeng’s killer.”

    “Too bad,” the lady boss said, “You knew it too late.”

    “No, not late at all,” Zhao Xiazi said.

    “Why not?” the little beggar asked.

    “Because he’s just in time to sleep in my coffin.”

    The expression on their faces became very delighted again.

    Yet the expression on Ximen Chuixue’s face, which has never changed, suddenly changed. Not only did it change, cold sweats started to form on his forehead.

    Noticing the change in Ximen Chuixue’s expression, the expression on Beef Soup’s face changed even greater. Her mouth was wide open, but no word came out.

    Gong Susu looked at Beef Soup, very smugly she said, “You wanted to ask whether the wine was poisonous, didn’t you?”

    Beef Soup’s eyes grew even bigger.

    “Let me tell you then: there is poison in the wine.” Gong Susu laughter became more smug.

    The little beggar walked over to face Beef Soup; he reached out to pinch Beef Soup’s cheek. With a giggle he said, “And now your vision is getting blurry, isn’t it?”

    The little beggar lightly patted Beef Soup’s face twice, and said, “Are you still the proud little girl? Do you have any message from Ximen Daxia you want to tell us?”

    Beef Soup struggled; she staggered toward Ximen Chuixue, but after only two steps, she collapsed. Her fingers happened to touch Ximen Chuixue’s shoe.

    Such a weak and powerless hand, such a weak and powerless touch, but just like ‘four taels toppling a thousand jin’ [1 tael is approx. 50g, 1 jin (or catty) is approx. 500g], it knocked Ximen Chuixue down.

    Once again triumphant laughter filled the hall.

    (Three)

    In a busy wine shop on a bustling street, who would pay special attention to a couple of old people?

    Although nobody paid any attention, although the little old man and the little old granny were sitting on a table in the corner, they still held their conversation in very low voices.

    The little old man’s eyebrows were knitted, he looked at the little old granny and said, “Are you going to Huangshi Town right now?”

    “If not now, then when?”

    “Naturally after we understand everything a bit more clearly.”

    “I am afraid it is going to be too late by then.”

    “What’s going to be too late?”

    “By the time this case is over, my little friend might have been killed.”

    “Ximen Chuixue might be killed?”

    “Precisely.”

    “He can be killed? Can you tell a bit fresher joke?”

    “Do you think it is funny?”

    “Don’t you think it is funny?”

    “Not funny at all. Don’t forget, Liu Rugang died in Huangshi Town, Lu Xiaofeng also died in Huangshi Town.”

    The little old man’s brows wrinkled even deeper. Suddenly he stood up.

    The little old granny grabbed his hand, saying, “What are you doing?”

    “What am I doing? Go to Huangshi Town, of course.”

  9. #109
    Senior Member foxs's Avatar
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    Default Book 7 - Chapter 19

    Chapter 19 – The little old granny’s mysterious smile

    Among the escort agencies in thirteen provinces from north to south, if the Zongbiaotou [Head Escort] of Central Plains Escort Agency Baili Changqing stood up and said that his escort agency was no more than a small agency, that means, in the entire China, no escort agency could use the word ‘big’ to describe their own escort agency.

    Which escort agency in thirteen provinces from north to south dared to claim to be number one? None. Because the Zongbiaotou of Central Plains Escort Agency Baili Changqing also said that the Central Plains Escort Agency was only number two.

    How many branches did the Central Plains Escort Agency have within the thirteen provinces? Even Baili Changqing himself was not too clear. Too many branches, too resounding reputation. Practically, this fact has enabled Baili Changqing to raise birds [as pet] and grow flowers all day long, i.e. live in ease and comfort.

    In fact, Baili Changqing had not escorted any goods for over seventeen years; even sizeable goods were handed over to his Vice-Head Escort Jin Peng to be escorted.

    Over the last seventeen years, Baili Changqing has handed over all affairs, big and small, to be handled by Jin Peng. Jin Peng has become his right and left hands, and he had never made any mistake.

    Therefore, when Jin Peng came to him to report that everything was in order, he ought to just nod and stroke his beard, and smile a cheerful relief.

    But this time, he did not smile.

    Not only he did not smile, he still asked with heavy concentration on his face, “Have the routes been surveyed well?”

    “Absolutely safe,” Jin Peng said, “For this escort, we have made preparation for almost a year. All security measures have been taken along the route. Zongbiaotou may set your heart at ease.”

    “For the last dozen of years, thanks to you, who have never made any mistake, I can set my heart at ease. But this escort really carries a huge responsibility.”

    “I know. Thirty-five million taels of gold, how many things that much money can accomplish? Even eighty generations cannot spend it all up.”

    “Right, hence there must be no mistake, not the tiniest bit, in this escort job. Let’s not talk about you and me, I am afraid the entire agency will be destroyed. Moreover, this is something that might have our families executed unto the third generation.”

    “I know that. That was the reason the Capital has sent Liu Chengfeng, Liu Daxia more than seven months ago to start investigating our route and make preparations for us.”

    “Did Liu Chengfeng send any news from over there?”

    “The message came every fifteen days,” Jin Peng said, “And each time it only has two words.”

    “Which two words?”

    “All is safe [安全 – an quan].”

    Since all was safe, it was time to hit the road.

    For this particular escort, the Zongbiaotou of Central Plains Escort Agency Baili Changqing personally set out to lead the troops.

    (Two)

    Beef Soup was really, really anxious. In all her life, she has never been as anxious as this time.

    She would rather have someone came and killed her with one chop of a saber; it would have been better than being locked up in this big prison, waiting for the execution.

    Because waiting will only lead to anxiety, and anxiety has always been difficult to bear, it does not matter who you are.

    She really could not stand it. With all her might she beat on the four walls, she shouted at the top of her lungs.

    Other than the echo inside the prison, the response she got was only a pair of eyes.

    A pair of cold eyes.

    And this pair of eyes may not necessarily look at her, it may well be only staring at the empty space in front of her.

    Ximen Chuixue was such a person; he always seemed to be indifferent to everything around him. With despair in her eyes she stared at Ximen Chuixue’s cold face. “Are they going to kill us?” she asked.

    Ximen Chuixue did not even cast a single glance to her, as if the question was not worth answering.

    “Are they going to kill us?” Beef Soup asked again; this time she grabbed and shook Ximen Chuixue’s shoulder.

    “They won’t.”

    These two words did not seem to come from Ximen Chuixue’s mouth; rather, it sounded like Beef Soup has shaken it out of Ximen Chuixue’s belly, from his belly it rolled up to his oral cavity, and from his oral cavity it squeezed out through his teeth.

    It was an emotionless reply, but it has given Beef Soup an infinite hope.

    The despair suddenly disappeared from her eyes, a bright radiance arose in its place.

    “Really?” she said, “They are really not going to kill us?”

    Ximen Chuixue neither shook nor nodded his head.

    Yet Beef Soup was nearly dancing and gesticulating for joy. She said, “I know what you mean; you are saying that since they put knock-out drug and not deadly poison in the wine, that means they are not going to kill us, is that right?”

    “No, no, not right,” Beef Soup answered herself, “If they are not going to kill us, then why lock us up here?”

    It was apparently a question worth pondering.

    Why did they lock Beef Soup and Ximen Chuixue up and not just put them down with a blade?

    They were already worthless.

    Lu Xiaofeng was dead, they came here to avenge him; not killing them would only increase the risk without any benefit at all.

    It was impossible for Beef Soup to find the answer to this question. No matter how she racked her brains, she simply could not find it.

    Because the answer was inside the minds of that bunch of Huangshi Town murderers.

    Ximen Chuixue seemed to be already aware of this fact; therefore, he might as well close his eyes.

    “Why not kill Ximen Chuixue?”

    This question was raised by Sha Dahu.

    Apparently, even Sha Dahu did not know the answer.

    “Right, why not kill Ximen Chuixue?”

    This time the grocery store boss and the coffin shop boss asked the same question together.

    It seemed like only one person knew the answer to this question. Because the eyes of those people asking the question were looking at that one person.

    “The reason we did not kill him,” Gong Susu stood up and said, “Is for his sword manual.”

    “Sword manual?” Sha Dahu said, “Why would we want to have his sword manual?”

    “Don’t you want to learn his unrivaled-throughout-the-world sword technique?”

    “At first I wanted to, but now I don’t.”

    “Why?”

    “Because very soon we will become very rich and powerful; why would we want to learn any sword technique?”

    “After you have the money, you don’t want to train martial art anymore?” Gong Susu asked.

    “You are correct. Do you know how much is our share?” Sha Dahu asked.

    “I can’t figure it out.”

    “I can’t either, but I know that with our share, even our sons and grandsons to the eightieth generation won’t spend it all in food and drink.” Sha Dahu swept the others with his gaze, “With so much money, why don’t we eat, drink and be merry properly? Why do we have to train any sword?”

    The coffin shop boss, whose countenance was originally like a dead man’s face, suddenly appeared flush from excitement; practically it was like he had changed into a different person, from a dead man to an emperor. With an extremely happy tone, he said, “That’s right, we only care about spending our life in drinking and pleasure; why do we care about sword technique?”

    “Besides,” Sha Dahu said, “By leaving Ximen Chuixue alive, we increase the number of our threat by one.”

    “Don’t you worry, even ghost cannot escape that big prison, much less a trivial Ximen Chuixue?” Gong Susu looked at everybody; she said, “All of you only want money, I’ll take that sword manual for myself. Leave Ximen Chuixue to me.”

    “But …” Sha Dahu seemed to hesitate.

    “You are afraid he might fly out of my big prison? Don’t worry, leave it to me.”

    “Why leave it to you alone? This matter should be our collective responsibility.” With leaps and bounds the little beggar came in. As soon as he was in, he said these words.

    “You know what we are talking about, right?” the lady boss said.

    “And you know what I am talking about too, right?”

    “What is it?”

    “The thing that we agreed on, of course!”

    “Are they here?”

    The little beggar nodded; he said, “They are here.”

    They? Who was ‘they’?

    (Three)

    The little old man seemed to be very familiar with the roads around Huangshi Town, he deliberately made seven turns and eight detours before reaching the outskirt of Huangshi, just when the sun was setting.

    “You see, didn’t I tell you so?” looking at the setting sun the little old man said, “I told you that we are going to arrive at Huangshi Town exactly at sun down; I didn’t deceive you, did I?”

    “Not on this point, you didn’t. But you deceived me on another point,” the little old granny said.

    “Another point? How did I deceive you?”

    “You deceived me to take half a day of pointless trip.”

    “No, I didn’t,” the little old man said, “I only told you that we should arrive at Huangshi Town right around sundown, and you said it should be around noon. I said you were wrong, and you said let’s go and see, and so we just went. Isn’t that right?”

    “Right.”

    “So you see, isn’t the sun going down the mountain?”

    “Yes.”

    “Hence I was right, I did not deceive you, I did not cheat you to take half a day of pointless trip.”

    “Alright, alright; let’s just say that you did not deceive me. But you were still wrong.”

    “I was wrong? Wrong about what?”

    “Wrong about the setting sun.” The little old granny pointed to the remaining half of the sun and said, “You said that we would arrived at Huangshi Town at sundown; you were wrong. I said arriving after sundown is correct.”

    “No, not right; right now we are entering Huangshi Town, aren’t we right on time?”

    “No, not right; we are not entering Huangshi Town.”

    “Why not go in?”

    “Because we want to find Ximen Chuixue.”

    “Don’t we have to go in to find Ximen Chuixue?”

    “We don’t.” The little old granny pointed to the white tent outside the town, “Do you see that? Isn’t that Ximen Chuixue’s traveling tent?”

    Naturally no one was in the tent.

    However, this did not seem to surprise the little old man and the little old granny.

    What surprised them was that when they were inside, they heard hoof beats outside.

    Hoof beats should not be surprising either; what surprised them the most was that after the hoof beats, there was a sound of a long string of heavy wheels grinding the ground.

    “What’s that? Are they escorts?” the little old man asked.

    “Do you know the best answer to that question?” the little old granny said.

    “What is it?”

    “Go out and have a look.”

    Before she finished speaking, both the little old man and the little old granny were already out of the tent.

    (Four)

    Central Plains Escort Agency’s banner was fluttering against the evening breeze, making a flapping noise.

    Baili Changqing sat erect on the horseback, his eyes were bright and full of expression.

    “Jin Peng, ahead is the Huangshi Town you mentioned?”

    “That’s right.”

    “Absolutely safe?”

    “Our people came here once three months ago to investigate, everybody in town is locally born and bred, except one Sha Dahu.”

    “Sha Dahu?”

    “Sha Dahu is an exiled aristocrat from out of the area, he dug the hill outside Huangshi town and suddenly found gold, hence he settled here. Because he is wealthy, occasionally he offered shelter to some fugitives.”

    “Fugitives?”

    “But these fugitives’ martial art skill, we only need to use one finger to knock them down.”

    “So, it seems to me that tonight we will be able to sleep peacefully.”

    “I think so too.”

    “What do you think?” the little old man asked.

    “I think,” the little old granny said, “There is only one condition that they may be able to sleep peacefully tonight.”

    “What condition?”

    “Only the dead can have the most peaceful sleep.”

    “How could they die?”

    “Carrying that much money, coming to this Huangshi Town, which looks tranquil on the surface, but like a roaring sea underneath, aren’t they just looking for death?”

    “How do you know that they are bringing a lot of money?”

    “Didn’t you see the wheel marks on the ground? Did you see how deep they are? Perhaps what they are bringing is gold.”

    “Probably not.”

    “Oh?”

    “If they are bringing gold, how come they only take a few people?”

    “So, what do you think they are escorting?”

    “Stone.”

    “Stone?”

    “Right, stone.”

    “How do you know?”

    “Must be. I think their carts must be loaded with stone. Only by pretending would they be brazen enough to enter Huangshi Town with only a few people.”

    “Do you know who these few people are?”

    “Who?”

    “Their Head Escort Baili Changqing, Vice Head Escort Jin Peng, Emei Heroines Situ Feng, Situ Huang, Situ Ying, Situ Yan, and Jing Cheng (Taoist) Priest Jian Xuan [sword mysterious].”

    “Really?”

    “Have I been proven wrong?”

    “Then they are really bringing gold?”

    “I don’t know.”

    “I know, I know. The best way is go and have a look.”

    Sha Dahu’s house was already brightly lit.

    To Sha Dahu, it was the biggest day of his life.

    To be able to receive the Head Escort of the biggest escort agency in thirteen provinces from north to south, it was something that he did not even dare to hope for.

    Therefore, other than telling his cook to prepare special dishes, he himself had been waiting at the main gate for the arrival of the honorable Baili Changqing.

    And not only him, but the rest of Huangshi Town people were also waiting respectfully by his gate.

    Everybody had a very proud expression on his face. Because, just like the little beggar said, “They are here.”

    By ‘they’, naturally he was referring to the Central Plains Escort Agency people.

    Actually, to be more precise, going a layer deeper, what the little beggar meant by ‘they’ ought to be the escorted money in the carts.

    -- The gold that would not be spent in food and drink for eighty generations.

    “They have entered Sha Dahu’s house,” the little old man said.

    “Wow, the fish have entered the net.”

    “What do we do?”

    “What do we do? Go watch a good show!”

    “You still want to watch a good show at a time like this?”

    “Well, what do you think we should do?”

    “Go save them.”

    “Save them? Save who?”

    “Those people, of course.”

    “Those people? They are not in any danger yet, they have not eaten their fill, they are not drunk, how could they be in danger?”

    “That …” the little old man did not know what to do.

    “Let’s go save them,” the little old granny said.

    “Didn’t you say they are not in any danger?”

    “I wasn’t talking about them, I was talking about other people.”

    “Other people? Who?”

    “He is not a who, he is Ximen Chuixue.”

    “Him? Do you know where he is?”

    “Of course I do, otherwise, how could I propose to save him?”

    “Why do you think he needs somebody to save him?”

    “Because he is not in his tent, moreover, I saw Sha Dahu and the others are very happy. If Ximen Chuixue is still outside, would they be that happy?”

    “Why do you want to save Ximen Chuixue?”

    “Didn’t I tell you that he is my little friend?”

    “And the little friend needs to be rescued?”

    “Because right now this little friend can help us do a lot of things. For example, to see whether the carts are really loaded with stone, or with gold?”

    “Why didn’t we hurry up then?”

    Before the little old man even finished speaking, he already ran away.

    But he could not run away, because the back of his collar was being pulled by the little old granny.

    “What are you doing?”

    “I am the one who should be asking you this question: what are you doing?”

    “Saving people, of course!”

    “Saving people? Saving people is that way.”

    Night. Moonless night.

    The prison cell that was usually very gloomy and eerie, in this kind of night, it looked even more gloomy and extremely eerie.

    Looking at such gloomy and eerie prison cell, the little old man could not help furrowing his two eyebrows! As he furrowed his eyebrows, the little old granny also could not help furrowing her eyebrows.

    “Why are you frowning?” the little old man asked.

    “Because you are frowning!”

    “Does my frown have anything to do with your frown?”

    “Of course it does.”

    “What is it?”

    “Because your frown looks like someone.”

    “Like the one that I think you are thinking?”

    “Yes.”

    “Who is it?”

    “Lu Xiaofeng.”

    “Really? I can look like Lu Xiaofeng?”

    “That’s right. It’s just that your eyebrows and hair are grey. In other words, you look like Lu Xiaofeng with head and face filthy with grime [idiom: dejected and depressed].”

    The little old man laughed. He felt very proud. “As long as I look like Lu Xiaofeng, why do I care about his hair and eyebrows?”

    Suddenly he sighed. “Ay! Too bad …”

    “Too bad Lu Xiaofeng is dead?”

    “That’s one …”

    “And the other?”

    “Too bad right now we have some business we have to deal with; otherwise, I wanted to treat you to eat and drink.”

    “Why?”

    “Because no one ever said that I look like Lu Xiaofeng.”

    “What’s so good about looking like Lu Xiaofeng? Some people even call Lu Xiaofeng Lu Xiaoji [little chicken].” The little old granny said, “Besides, Lu Xiaofeng’s already dead, what’s so good about saying that you look like a dead man?”

    The little old man did not respond; he merely walked stealthily toward the prison door.

    But his step was suddenly stopped by the little old granny.

    “What are you doing?” the little old man said.

    “What are you going to do?” the little old granny asked him back.

    “Aren’t we going to save people? Lu Xiaofeng is dead, we can’t let Ximen Chuixue die too, can we?”

    “I suddenly think that there is one thing more important than saving Ximen Chuixue. After we accomplish this one thing, it won’t be too late to save him then.”

    “What is it?”

    The little old granny did not answer, she only smiled a mysterious smile.

  10. #110
    Senior Member foxs's Avatar
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    Default Book 7 - Chapter 20

    Chapter 20 – The smile of the Sword God

    Very late at night, a moonless night.

    If the banquet started at the first dim light of the night, then very late at night should be the time the banquet ended.

    Therefore, it was also the time that the banquet in Sha Dahu’s main hall should end.

    Sha Dahu’s feast was, of course, in honor of the respected guests of the Central Plains Escort Agency.

    And at the end of Sha Dahu’s feast, the ones that had to leave were, of course, also the escorts of the Central Plains Escort Agency.

    When the guest escorts stood up to leave, Sha Dahu suddenly raised his cup and said, “There is one thing that I really regret.”

    “Sha Xiong’s [brother Sha] magnificent hospitality in receiving us, we already cannot thank you enough, what regret does Sha Xiong have?” Baili Changqing said, cupping his fist.

    “Meagre food and drink, Zongbiaotou honored me with your presence, that is giving me a lot of face already. So I have to drink this as a forfeit to show my regret.”

    “What is it?” Baili Changqing asked.

    “My humble home is too small.”

    “Too small? What does too small have anything to do with Sha Xiong feeling so regretful?”

    “Of course it does.” Sha Dahu raised his cup and downed it in one gulp, “Because it is too small, I can only receive three esteemed guests of your precious Escort Agency.”

    Before Baili Changqing had any time to respond, the grocery store boss already scrambled to offer his place, “No problem, I can receive two at my place.”

    Gong Susu also did not want to be left out, “These two sisters, how about staying at my place?”

    The coffin shop boss also spoke up, “If gentlemen have enough guts, and not afraid to sleep in coffins, there’s enough room at my place for one or two more.”

    Naturally Baili Changqing could say nothing other than expressing his gratitude.

    And thus, the Central Plains Escort Agency’s personnel were separated from each other.

    In fact, I should say that the Central Plains Escort Agency’s power was dispersed.

    Although it was a moonless night, the outline of escort carriages parked in front of Sha Dahu’s main gate could still be vaguely seen.

    Not only the carriages were vaguely visible, even the escorts on duty guarding the carriages were also vaguely visible.

    One of the guards suddenly fixed his eyes on a flowering shrub not too far from his position.

    He saw a human shadow flashed by.

    He did not make any noise, because he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. It’s not unusual for people who have had quite a bit of drink to have dimmed eyesight.

    However, even if he wanted to make noise, he could not.

    Because one tiny golden needle has already flown out from the bushes where the human shadow disappeared earlier.

    This golden needle was, naturally, flying toward the guard’s throat.

    Therefore, other than staring with eyes wide open and his right hand struggling to pull his saber out, he could not make the slightest noise.

    Immediately afterwards, two blades already cut the other guard’s throat. While at the same time a strip of rope already tightened around the third guard’s neck.

    Night. A very quiet night.

    Although it was already very late at night, Gong Susu’s residence was still as bright as day.

    In the depth of the night, lantern light indoor usually gives travelers unbounded warmth and friendly feeling.

    At least the two female escorts of the Central Plains Escort Agency were having this kind of feeling.

    Therefore, as soon as they stepped into the main hall of Gong Susu’s residence, they felt very comfortable. And comfortable people usually wanted to express their feelings.

    Gong Susu only smiled as she listened to her guests expressing their admiration of the hostess and the hostess’ residence. Only after they were finished did she start talking, “It’s a rare occurrence that I get to meet two ladies; how about we have a little drink?”

    Could people in such a cozy and warm atmosphere reject this kind of invitation?

    Of course not.

    Therefore, Gong Susu clapped her hands rather loudly.

    Thereupon, very soon dishes of delicacies and pots of light wine were served on the table.

    -- The delicacies and wine were served by an old woman.

    If one was to observe carefully, one would find that this old woman’s movement was unusually strong and healthy, nothing like an old woman at all.

    And if one was able to raise the old woman’s skirt, one would find that the old woman’s legs were smooth, tender and lovely, just like a young woman’s.

    Naturally these facts failed to attract the two female escorts’ attention.

    Not only they did not notice these facts, they did not have the slightest bit of suspicions at all. As soon as Gong Susu raised her cup to offer a toast, they would also raise their cups and down the wine.

    The old woman’s response was very quick; as soon as their cups were empty, she poured the second cup for them.

    And then the third cup.

    By the fourth cup, the old woman suddenly raised the wine pot in her right hand and smashed it toward the female escort on the right.

    The female escort’s countenance changed greatly; she wanted to raise her right hand to block; too bad she suddenly found out that she could not raise her right hand.

    Her countenance was really too unsightly.

    But she did not know that the countenance of her companion that was sitting next to her was even more unsightly. Because her head had already been smashed by the old woman’s wine pot and it was bleeding profusely.

    And her companion was trying to lift her hand to help her resisting the enemy, but not even a bit of strength was left.

    She suddenly found out that all her limbs were numb. The only sense left on her was her sense of hearing.

    She heard Gong Susu’s gloomy and cold, yet triumphant, laughter.

    All the lights in Gong Susu’s residence suddenly went out.

    It seemed like the night was getting even more gloomy and eerie.

    And the night was not the only one that was gloomy and eerie; the coffin, and Zhao Xiazi’s laughter were also gloomy and eerie.

    “Do you dare to sleep?” Zhao Xiazi’s voice also sounded gloomy and eerie.

    “Of course we do. We are used to roam the Jianghu, we have even slept in graveyards. Merely coffins, what are we afraid of? Isn’t that right?”

    The escort nudged his companion as he said those words. His companion immediately caught on, “Of course it’s true; besides, these coffins are still new.”

    “Precisely because they are new that I am asking the two gentlemen if you dare to sleep in it.”

    “Why?”

    “Because new coffins are usually reserved for people who had just died.”

    “Don’t joke.”

    “You think I am joking?”

    “Are you not?”

    “He is not.”

    The last sentence suddenly came out of a coffin.

    The two escorts could not help jumping up in fright.

    Right when they were frightened, a man flew out of the coffin. Plus Zhao Xiazi’s hands also turned into claws and clawed the escort standing right in front of him.

    ‘Bang! Bang!’ The two escorts’ lives suddenly ended.

    Zhao Xiazi reached out to catch the two escorts’ bodies, one on each hand; with a forceful push, the two dead bodies fell straight and neatly into two new coffins.

    Zhao Xiazi’s face showed a smiling expression; he said to the man who had just flown out of a coffin, “Little Beggar, not bad, huh?”

    “Of course not; such men, did they think they were fit to escort goods?”

    “So what do you think they were fit to do?”

    “Precisely this,” the little beggar pointed to the coffins, “They only fit to sleep in coffins.”

    “You are absolutely right,” Zhao Xiazi said, “I’ll say not only these two, all of them are also only fit to sleep in my coffins. Little Beggar, how many more coffins are empty?”

    “Seems to me not too many.”

    “Of course not many, only six left.”

    “Six? That many?”

    “There are two in the grocery store, and two at Ol’ Sha’s place …”

    “Why only two at Ol’ Sha’s place? Aren’t there three?”

    “Three? Do you want to kill our Laoda [lit. ‘old first’ – leader of the group, boss] as well?”

    “How do I dare?” the little beggar said, “That’s only four. Who are the other two?”

    “Did you forget that in the prison there are still Beef Soup and Ximen Chuixue?”

    “How could I forget? Who could forget Ximen Chuixue?”

    (Two)

    That’s right. Who could forget Ximen Chuixue?

    At least the little old man has not forgotten.

    After finishing the task the little old granny told him to do, the little old man hurried back to the little old granny to urge her, “Shouldn’t we go to save Ximen Chuixue?”

    “Of course. The time to save him is precisely right now!”

    “Why is now the right time?”

    “Because right now the Huangshi Town people are doing everything they can to deal with the Central Plains Escort Agency people; they won’t send anybody to guard their prison.”

    “Are they able to kill all Central Plains Escort Agency people?”

    “Most likely.”

    “Then why aren’t you thinking of something to save them?”

    “Do you have any idea on how to save them?”

    The little old man did not say anything, because he did not have the answer. Just relying on their strength, could the two of them save those people?

    Besides, this matter could not be revealed yet, because they still did not know who the mastermind was. If the mastermind was not found, who would believe a little old man and a little old granny’s words? Who would believe that the honest people of Huangshi Town could plot against the lives of the Central Plains Escort Agency people?

    Even Lu Xiaofeng would not believe it. And that was the reason Lu Xiaofeng was killed here.

    “Who do you think the mastermind is?” the little old man asked.

    “Looking at the current situation, only two people are highest on the list of suspects.”

    “Which two?”

    “Baili Changqing and Jin Peng.”

    “Those two? Why? One is the Central Plains Escort Agency’s Head Escort, the other is Vice-Head Escort; why would they rob their own escorted goods?”

    “Why not? Do you know the value of these escorted goods?”

    “How much?”

    “Thirty-five million taels of gold.”

    “That much?”

    “That much money, even your sons and grandsons to the eightieth generation will not be able to spend it all!”

    “That much? Who wanted to send that much money?”

    “According to what I heard, it is our current imperial court’s war fund.”

    “Why do they want to send it away?”

    “Because it is said that there is a rebellion in the south; therefore, the gold must be transferred someplace else, to be used for war purposes.”

    “Why didn’t they send troops to transfer it?”

    “Afraid that it might draw unnecessary attention, because it is still unclear whether there is armed rebellion in the south or not. If the news that the gold is being transferred ever leaks, rebellion might rise immediately, then they won’t have time to prepare.”

    “Hence they hired Central Plains Escort Agency to escort the goods?”

    “That’s right,” the little old granny said.

    “It seems to me though, that this bunch of Huangshi Town people had already prepared their conspiracy for about half a year; how did they know that early?”

    “That’s why I suspect either Baili Changqing or Jin Peng is the mastermind.”

    “Oh,” the little old man said, “They were indeed the first person to know about the transfer of gold; however, they already cannot spend their own money in this lifetime, why would they want to rob the escorted goods?”

    The little old granny laughed. “Right now, do you have money?” she asked.

    “I do.”

    “How long before you use it all up?”

    “Maybe until the day I die I won’t use it all up.”

    “And if right now there are a million taels of gold in front of you, would you still want it?”

    “If I don’t want it,” the little old man said, “That would be strange indeed.”

    “Therefore, who wouldn’t want to have more riches?”

    “There is one.”

    “Who?”

    “Lu Xiaofeng.”

    The little old granny laughed again. “Of course a dead person does not want to have more riches,” she said.

    The little old man also laughed. He said, “Is Lu Xiaofeng really a dead person?”

    “Don’t tell me he is not?”

    The little old man did not answer. Because suddenly he put his finger to his lips, making a shush-ing motion.

    They were already outside the prison; hence the little old man told the little old granny not to make any noise.

    Actually, even if the little old man and the little old granny spoke louder, nobody in the prison would be able to hear them.

    Because practically there was no guard in the prison.

    The only ones inside was Ximen Chuixue and Beef Soup. Besides, what’s the big deal if these two hear their voices?

    However, if there was anybody who had that kind of thought, he was wrong.

    Because Ximen Chuixue had already heard the voices outside, and with his hand he extinguished the only oil lamp in the prison.

    And then he pressed his mouth over Beef Soup’s mouth and whispered in her ear these two words, “Be quiet!” And then without making any noise he pressed his body against the wall right next to the cell door.

    The cell door was slowly pushed inward.

    The direction the door was pushed happened to be toward where Ximen Chuixue was leaning against the wall.

    When the cell door was half open, the little old man let out a surprised cry; indicating that he had just found out that the prison was pitch-black. And then they seemed to hear he mumbled something like, “Too late, Ximen Chuixue is not here.”

    “Who says I am not here?”

    Following Ximen Chuixue’s voice, a strong sword aura burst toward the little old man.

    The little old man’s body suddenly floated backward.

    With an unimaginable speed Ximen Chuixue’s sword stabbed the little old granny.

    The little old granny did not back off, but with matchless speed she raised both palms. This pair of palms was like seamless heaven’s net; once the palms clamped, Ximen Chuixue’s sword was caught.

    “It’s you?” Ximen Chuixue cried out in surprise.

    “It’s not me.” The little old granny’s answer was an unfathomable mystery.

    “It’s you.” Ximen Chuixue said again. Then, he slowly pulled the sword away from the little old granny’s hands. ‘Cha’, he lighted the fire paper.

    As soon as the lamp was bright enough, Beef Soup knitted her eyebrows as she looked at the little old granny and said, “So it is you.”

    “Miss still remembers me?”

    “Of course I do. When Sikong Zhaixing saw you, it was like he had just seen a ghost; who could have forgotten you?”

    “Do you know her?” Ximen Chuixue seemed to talk a bit more than usual.

    “I have seen her,” Beef Soup said.

    “Do you know who she is?”

    “Who is she?”

    “You really don’t know?”

    “Should I know her? Do you think I am Bai Xiaosheng[1]?”

    “You don’t have to be Bai Xiaosheng to know her.”

    “Oh? Who is she, actually?”

    Ximen Chuixue did not answer; he just looked at the little old granny.

    The little old granny did not answer either; she just looked at Beef Soup.

    Beef Soup suddenly felt her face blushed, as if she was not being stared at by an old granny, but by a passionate young man.

    “You are …”

    “That’s right.” The little old granny’s voice suddenly became young, “I am.”

    (Three)

    That’s right, he was indeed Lu Xiaofeng. The unique and unmatched Lu Xiaofeng.

    But didn’t Lu Xiaofeng die?

    “Die? How could Lu Xiaofeng die?” The little old granny laughter was very cheerful.

    Looking at the little old granny’s laughing expression, looking at her mischievous eyes, Beef Soup immediately knew that this little old granny was indeed Lu Xiaofeng.

    Seeing Lu Xiaofeng did not die, Beef Soup ought to be happy, but she suddenly glowered and said angrily, “Why can’t Lu Xiaofeng die? It would be best if Lu Xiaofeng died.”

    “Would it really be best if Lu Xiaofeng died?” the little old man, who was standing by the little old granny’s side, suddenly said.

    “You are you? What’s your business in this matter?” Beef Soup asked.

    “Me? I am a nobody. But if it were not for me, Lu Xiaofeng would really be dead.”

    “Why?”

    “Because my disguising skill is number one under the heavens.”

    “You? You are Sikong Zhaixing?”

    “That’s right.”

    “Then …” Beef Soup’s jaw dropped, “Then who was that Sikong Zhaixing at the restaurant?”

    “Him? He was the dead ghost Lu Xiaofeng.”

    “Isn’t he Lu Xiaofeng?” Beef Soup pointed to the little old granny. She was really confused.

    “He is the living Lu Xiaofeng.”

    “So who was that dead ghost Lu Xiaofeng when he was still alive?”

    “Honest Monk!”

    “Honest Monk?”

    “That’s right. It’s just that he ought to be called Dishonest Monk.”

    “Why?”

    “Because he was supposed to lie motionless in the coffin, yet he came looking for me, asking me to turn him into Ximen Chuixue. Pretending to be Ximen Chuixue no longer fun, he wanted to be me. Tell me, isn’t he extremely dishonest?” Sikong Zhaixing said.

    “So the one we saw in the coffin was Honest Monk?”

    “Replacement guaranteed if not genuine, the one and only Honest Monk.”

    “But the one in the coffin was definitely a dead man.”

    “Naturally he was a dead man; otherwise, how could he deceive those bunch of Huangshi Town bandits?”

    “If he was dead, how could he come back alive?”

    “Because he is the Wulin world’s unique and unmatched Honest Monk.”

    “So Honest Monk can comes back to live from the dead?”

    “Of course.”

    “How come?”

    “Because Honest Monk has mastered the Gui Xi Gong [lit. tortoise breathing skill].”

    “Ah, I got it.”

    “Do you, really?”

    “Of course. Precisely because Honest Monk knew Gui Xi Gong, Lu Xiaofeng looked for him and had Honest Monk masquerade him. And then he had him pretend to be dead. Am I right?”

    “Absolutely correct. At that time you were hiding nearby and looking over my shoulder, weren’t you?”

    “Kiss my @ss,” Beef Soup said, “But, there is one thing I do not understand.”

    “You don’t understand why I wanted Honest Monk to pretend to be dead, am I right?” Lu Xiaofeng asked.

    “Right.”

    “Huangshi Town was originally a small town that did not attract anybody’s attention. When I came here, I immediately noticed that everybody here was hiding his own martial art skill; hence I knew that there must be something big going on here.”

    “How did you know that they are hiding their martial art skill?”

    “Don’t forget, I am a little old granny. Just how many incidents in Jianghu have I witnessed with my own eyes? Do you think the little old granny have lived for several decades in vain?”

    “Yes, yes, yes, my apology for not venerating you. Please forgive Xiao Nuzi [lit. little woman (humble)] for not recognizing that Senior has a pair of formidable eyes.” Beef Soup could not help giggling.

    Lu Xiaofeng looked at Ximen Chuixue. “Therefore, I went to find Sikong Zhaixing and asked him to bring his disguising set and come with me. Contrary to my expectation, without any question he simply came with me to look for Honest Monk.”

    “When we found Honest Monk, I said bluntly, ‘Monk, I want you to strip naked, right now.’ Do you know what Honest Monk’s reaction was when he heard my order?”

    “He must be very surprised,” Beef Soup replied.

    “Wrong. Unexpectedly without making any noise he simply stripped stark naked. Later on he said to me: ‘Appearance is empty, emptiness is appearance. I have never expected that finally Lu Xiaofeng is able to see through the world of mortals, he wants to wear Monk’s clothes and leave home (to become a Buddhist monk).’ Tell me, wasn’t that annoying?”

    “Not annoying,” Beef Soup replied.

    “Oh? Why not?”

    “Because you came to see him, your intention was to have him die in your place. He made sport of you with several sentences, what’s so annoying about that?”

    Lu Xiaofeng suddenly stared at Beef Soup.

    “What are you looking at?”

    “I suddenly realize that you are very understanding of other people’s view. Hence I want to see if you are the real Beef Soup or not.”

    “What do you think?”

    “It’s very hard to say, especially since you have been together with Sikong Zhaixing.”

    Right this moment, Ximen Chuixue, who usually talked very few, suddenly opened his mouth, “I understand now.”

    “What is it?”

    “They thought you were dead, hence they relaxed their guard, and thus you were able to secretly investigate their conspiracy.”

    “You do understand.”

    “So what is their conspiracy?” Beef Soup asked.

    “I am going to take all of you to see their plot right now.”

    (Four)

    Sha Dahu’s main hall.

    A man was tied to the pillar in the main hall, a man with disheveled hair and a body full of wounds.

    This man apparently struggled and fought hard before he was captured and bound to the pillar.

    The man was precisely the Head Escort of Central Plains Escort Agency, the biggest escort agency in thirteen provinces from north to south, Baili Changqing.

    The atmosphere in the main hall was very depressing.

    Baili Changqing was gasping for breath, but he glowered at the rest of the people there with fiery eyes.

    Sha Dahu was pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back; his head hung low. Gong Susu and the lady boss were sitting quietly on chairs. The little beggar and Zhao Xiazi were looking at each other, without saying a single word.

    The atmosphere was so depressing that they all felt difficulty breathing.

    The first person unable to bear it much longer was Zhao Xiazi. He suddenly sprang up and said loudly, “Why did Jin Laoda [see note above] want to keep him alive and become a living mouth?”

    Sha Dahu turned around to face Zhao Xiazi. “Jin Laoda must have had his reasons,” he said.

    “That’s right, I do have my reasons.” From the inner hall Jin Peng walked out, he was wearing an extremely gorgeous outfit, adorned with gold trim all around.

    Jin Peng’s clothes were bright and dazzling, but his countenance was so gloomy that nobody wanted to cast him a glance. “Do you know why I wanted to keep a living mouth?” he asked.

    He glowered at Baili Changqing, but Baili Changqing also glowered back at him.

    “I spent considerable effort to arrange this foolproof plan.” Jin Peng’s gaze moved from Baili Changqing to look at the eyes of everybody else in the hall. “We killed a lot of Huangshi Town people in order to replace them with you. But now the enterprise is ruined for the sake of one basketful; do you know why?”

    Nobody answered, because nobody knew the reason. They did not even know what Jin Peng was talking about, and nobody was too clear on what’s going on either.

    Thereupon, Jin Peng had no choice but to take them out of the main hall, and out to the place where the escort carts were parked.

    “Open up,” Jin Peng barked his order.

    The chest on the escort cart was opened.

    Originally it was supposed to be filled with glistening yellow, dazzling and brilliant gold, but now suddenly it was dull and dark. Unexpectedly the gold had turned into matte black scrap metal.

    Everybody could only stare blankly.

    “Do you understand now?” Jin Peng said, “Because the gold has been swapped, now it is boxes after boxes of scrap iron.”

    They returned to the main hall.

    The atmosphere in the hall was getting even more depressing. It was so depressing that not only they felt difficulty in breathing, they also did not dare to lift up their heads.

    With all heads down, they watched as Jin Peng walked in and put a piece of matte black scrap metal on the table. And then, all eyes were turned toward their boss, Jin Peng.

    “This means one of us has leaked this secret.”

    “There is a spy among us?” Sha Dahu asked.

    “Who?” the lady boss asked.

    Lady boss’ fiery eyes were fixed at Zhao Xiazi.

    Zhao Xiazi jumped in fright, but he stared back at the lady boss. And then, he suddenly turned his gaze toward the little beggar.

    In turn, the little beggar’s eyes stared at Gong Susu. Gong Susu had her eyes fixed on the grocery store boss, and the boss stared at the lady boss.

    Everybody was staring at each other.

    The air seemed to be even heavier.

    Jin Peng rose up from his chair, and said, “The most important thing right now is not to find who the traitor is.” While speaking, he walked over to Baili Changqing. “The most important thing is to find where the swapped gold is.”

    He suddenly grabbed Baili Changqing’s hair and said, “You should know by now why I wanted to leave a living mouth. If you tell me the gold’s whereabouts, not only will I let you go, I will also let your people go, I won’t investigate who the traitor was, and will give you a share of the gold.”

    Baili Changqing raised his head, he looked at Jin Peng; suddenly he opened his mouth and “Pei!” he angrily spat a mouthful of phlegm mixed with blood toward Jin Peng’s face.

    “Good spit!” a voice came from the doorway.

    Everybody turned their eyes to the door, they all fixed their gaze at the speaker’s face.

    Nobody recognized the speaker. Because she was just a little old granny.

    The little old granny said, “If there is really one person who believed what you said, then it would be like seeing ghost in bright daylight.”

    “Who are you?” Jin Peng angrily asked.

    “Me? I am a dead person.”

    “Absurd!” Jin Peng flew up and launched a palm attack toward the little old granny.

    Light as a feather the little old granny dodged the attack and said, “Without asking clearly who I am you just attacked me. What if you suffer a setback?”

    Jin Peng ignored this remark; moving his palms like a whirlwind, he launched killer moves one after another.

    The little old granny only smiled as she dodged the attack, without launching even one move of counterattack.

    The people watching did not dare to believe their eyes.

    In all the world, probably there was only one person who was able to dodge Jin Peng’s continuous attack for more than thirty moves without fighting back.

    -- Lu Xiaofeng.

    Didn’t Lu Xiaofeng die?

    This question surged into everybody’s mind. Suddenly the little beggar had a brainwave. He recalled the little old granny’s answer when she had just walked in.

    -- I am a dead person.

    The little beggar’s body suddenly shook.

    “What’s wrong with you?” Zhao Xiazi asked.

    “He … he … he is Lu Xiaofeng.”

    Zhao Xiazi and the others were shocked.

    The little old granny, who was dodging here and there, suddenly flew up and made seven somersaults in the air, while saying, “That’s right, I am indeed Lu Xiaofeng.”

    The disguise on her face had already been removed while she was doing the somersaults. Hence by the time she landed on the ground, she had turned into Lu Xiaofeng.

    “You didn’t die?” Gong Susu cried out in surprise.

    “Naturally I did not die; how could Lu Xiaofeng die? If I died, wouldn’t your conspiracy succeed?”

    “Who’s that …”

    “You must be dying to know who died, aren’t you?”

    Nobody replied, because that was exactly what everybody wanted to know.

    “Let me tell you: no one died. There was only someone pretended to be dead.”

    “Pretended to be dead?”

    “The one pretended to be dead was Honest Monk.” Lu Xiaofeng said, “I asked Sikong Zhaixing to alter his appearance, so that he would look like me. And then we tied a piece of iron and a bag of blood onto his chest …”

    “Do you remember that evening when you surrounded me? The truth is, you were surrounding Honest Monk. The real me has been watching you from the side.”

    “I noticed that you, Sha Dahu, were using the Japanese Divine Wind Saber Technique; hence I knew that you are indeed a bunch of big bandits of the rivers and oceans who kill without blinking an eye.”

    “That evening, Honest Monk deliberately dodged to the left and flashed to the right. Finally he bumped his chest onto Gong Ping’s sword. The blood bag was pierced and spilled blood, Honest Monk then utilized his Gui Xi Gong and fell to the ground. At that time it was already very dark, naturally you could not see clearly; moreover, you were too confident of Gong Ping’s sword.”

    “And that was the reason she died under Ximen Chuixue’s sword,” Sha Dahu said.

    “She died because of too much self-confidence; and you fail because of humanity habitual character.” Lu Xiaofeng said, “Who would think of giving another sword stab to a dead body? Nobody. And that was the reason Monk was successful in faking death.”

    “Don’t be too proud of yourself Lu Xiaofeng,” the lady boss said, “Ximen Chuixue and Beef Soup are still in our hands.”

    “Is that so?” a voice replied from the doorway.

    The voice, naturally, belonged to Beef Soup, a very-pleased-with-herself kind of voice.

    This time, Ximen Chuixue who normally did not like to talk, spoke up, “If I did not intentionally let myself be captured, how could Jin Peng’s secret be exposed?”

    No one responded. Because everybody’s countenance was as ugly as dirt.

    “There is one thing I still don’t understand,” Jin Peng said.

    “What is it?” Lu Xiaofeng asked.

    “Did you swap the gold?”

    “Yes.”

    “With you alone, can you swap that much gold?”

    “Actually, I did not swap the gold at all.”

    “I don’t understand.”

    “Very simple.”

    Lu Xiaofeng walked over to the table and picked up the piece of scrap metal left there earlier. He took out his jade fan and used it to scrape the scrap metal.

    The matte black color was gradually scraped off, and the glistening, yellow shiny gold color was restored.

    Everybody was stunned.

    “These gold,” Lu Xiaofeng said, “Were only coated with a layer of special color; that’s all.”

    “But, with you alone, how could you do it?”

    “Naturally he couldn’t.” Another voice came in from the door.

    This time, Honest Monk was wearing his own Buddhist robe. Sikong Zhaixing was also clad in the outfit he usually wore when he went out to pick star [reminder: ‘zhai xing’ means picking star].

    “Without the help of me, Honest Monk, how could Lu Xiaofeng paint that much gold?”

    “Don’t you forget to mention my contribution. Without Sikong Zhaixing, the two of you with only four hands, can’t possibly coat that much gold.”

    Nobody said anything. In fact, what can they say? Treason has been exposed, what else there is to say?

    The only thing that can be said, was to express their anger using their lives, their blood.

    Consequently, Jin Peng suddenly drew the sword hanging on his waist and attacked Lu Xiaofeng.

    Sha Dahu and Zhao Xiazi attacked Ximen Chuixue.

    The lady boss attacked Beef Soup.

    Gong Susu attacked Sikong Zhaixing.

    And the little beggar went for Baili Changqing that was tied to the pillar.

    The most promising attack was, naturally, the little beggar.

    Because Baili Changqing was, after all, helpless to fight back.

    However, the little beggar was mistaken.

    The ropes binding Baili Changqing suddenly shattered like pieces of paper, while his fist, in the moment when the little beggar thought his attack would go smoothly, struck the little beggar’s chest.

    The little beggar fell down. While he was falling, he heard Baili Changqing said, “While dodging Jin Peng’s attack, Lu Xiaofeng already broke the ropes binding me with his internal energy.”

    A major battle. Very soon the battle was over.

    Because, in all the world, who could resist Lu Xiaofeng and Ximen Chuixue? Not to mention the two of them were fighting together? Even more, they had Honest Monk and Sikong Zhaixing by their side?

    Besides, evil will never prevail.

    Early morning, fog.

    Surprisingly, there was no wind in Huangshi Town that particular morning.

    No wind to blow the yellow sandy soil that usually filled the air.

    Perhaps even the wind knew that the storm brewing in Huangshi Town had finally died down.

    The sun rose slowly.

    Streaks of sunlight penetrated the fog, reflected by the glistening, shiny gold on the ground.

    Baili Changqing was laughing a very satisfied laugh, while supervising his escort troops handling boxes of gold.

    One of the escorts looked up and asked Baili Changqing, “Who saved us?”

    “Other than he, who else?”

    “He? Who is he?”

    “He is me.”

    The escorts were stunned; because that sentence actually came from three people.

    One was a little old man, one was a little old granny, and the third was Lu Xiaofeng.

    The little old man removed his disguise; turned out he was Sikong Zhaixing.

    The little old granny turned out to be Lu Xiaofeng.

    And Lu Xiaofeng turned out to be Honest Monk.

    All the escorts laughed.

    Beef Soup’s giggle was heard above the laughter.

    Of all these laughter, the loudest and brightest was, unexpectedly, Lu Xiaofeng’s.

    Because, he heard the laughter of one person. This person has never laughed.

    And this person was, naturally, Ximen Chuixue.

    THE END


    [1] Bai Xiaosheng and the weapons list figured most prominently in the Little Li Flying Dagger book. He made a physical appearance in 多情剑客无情剑, where he worked with Lin Xian'er to steal martial arts manuals from Shaolin. He was killed by Li Xunhuan while holding the Abbot of Shaolin hostage. If they are referring to the same people, then this should take place 50-100 years after the Li Xunhuan novels. Because after Li Xunhuan was the Ye Kai/Fu Hongxue generation, then followed by the Gongzi Yu generation, after which the ties to the original novels peter out. (Courtesy of Ren Wo Xing)

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