Thread: The Deer and The Cauldron

  1. #2661
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    Ahh the cliffhanger..., though I know what's going to happen next. Oh WXB...the Emperor is not easy to deceive. Your lies ain't working. :/
    I know WXB is a smart cunning guy, but Kangxi's intelligence >>>>>>>>>> his.

    Thx again foxs. Can't wait for the next part.

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    click to show/hide spoilers
    If I am not wrong, by this time Kangxi had already knew about Xiaobao's involvement in Tian di hui and Sheng long cult. He was only trying not to expose Xiaobao and hope to use those connections for his own plans.


    Please use spoiler tags for spoilers - RWX.
    Last edited by Ren Wo Xing; 09-24-12 at 07:35 PM.

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    You should spoiler comments like these so new readers don't have the story spoiled.

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    Default Chapter 43 - Part 2

    Sky, I think the update was long enough, wasn't it? Ace, thanks, I will update later.Crazee, I think it was a good insight, a boy and a tiger. So ... Wei Xiaobao was the tiger, right? Zhx, I agree, but my comment to Crazee was not exactly absurd. In term of intelligence, Kangxi>>WXB, but in term of street-smart, I doubt that Kangxi was superior; i.e. if their roles were reversed, Kangxi was outside, I doubt that he would survive. What do you think? Chowbeng, you are right. Pannonian, thanks for the reminder.


    Kangxi said, “You pointed the assassins to endanger Taifei, you really deserve to have your head chopped, but considering you still have three-part [i.e. to some degree] loyalty and love to me …”

    Wei Xiaobao busily said, “Not three-part, it’s ten-part [i.e. completely], a hundred-part, a thousand-part, ten-thousand-part loyalty and love.”

    Kangxi smiled and asked, “Can it be proven?”

    “It can be proven, it can be proven,” Wei Xiaobao replied, “Totally can be proven!”

    Kangxi stretched out his foot to kick lightly on his forehead. “Damn it,” he said with a laugh, “Get up.”

    Wei Xiaobao was so scared that his head was damp with sweats; he kowtowed several more times before standing up. Kangxi laughed and said, “You have rendered three great meritorious services; at first I did not know how to reward you, but now I have found a way. You gave directions to the assassins, hence you offended your superior with violent crime; you also do not have a heart to submit yourself to your master, but I am not going to punish you. You atone for your crimes by meritorious acts; we are even.”

    “Marvelous, marvelous,” Wei Xiaobao said, “Just like Your Majesty playing Pai Jiu, at first your servant wins, later on Your Majesty win, in the end we are even. Your Majesty did not eat my money, yet you also do not pay me anything.” In his heart he said, “No promotion is fine. Do you think you are going to bestow me the title ‘Wei Wu Dajiangjun’ [mighty great general], ‘Zhen Guo Gong’ [duke of Zhen country]? Even if you bestowed me the title ‘Taishi’ [imperial tutor], there’s nothing amazing about it. In those years Tang Bohu [Ming painter and poet] painted the Imperial Tutor Hua’s two sons, Hua Da and Hua Er [first and second son, respectively] as fools. The two sons that I, Wei Taishi, will have, Wei Da and Wei Er, will also be a mess, a really big mess.”

    Kangxi said, “That short and fat thief, his motive was really malicious. After his lover was caught by you, he knew it was hard to seize her back, anticipating that you would eventually deliver her to the Palace to be dealt with by the Empress Dowager, he unexpectedly took a risk out of desperation and broke into the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, rebelling against the Emperor and coercing the Empress Dowager. At this moment the number of active Imperial Bodyguards was increased several times, the Palace is heavily-guarded, he could not like the last time taking us by surprise and jumped over the wall to escape. He was hoping that by sitting in Shen Taifei’s sedan chair, with the Empress Dowager personally escorted them to the Palace gate, the two of them could escape together. He had never even dreamed that demons and gods at work, unexpectedly you gave the assassins the direction to attack the First Concubine’s luan sedan chair, and killed the two rebel thieves.”

    Wei Xiaobao suddenly saw the light, “So that’s what happened,” he said, “That Empress Dowager and Your Majesty have a flood of good fortune is indeed not the least bit incorrect.” In his heart he mused, “No wonder when I delivered the old wh0re, the Empress Dowager put on a bad luck face, as if I owed her three million taels of silver and did not pay her back. Turns out at that time Thin Toutuo was already hiding in her bedroom, most likely he was hiding in her bed. Thin Toutuo had lived in the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful for many days, naturally he was familiar with the layout. Perhaps he had also slept in that big bed for many nights. We were really lucky that he was thinking of this scheme. I wonder how many days had he been hiding in the Empress Dowager’s bedroom? Perhaps it was several days already. Aiyo, not good! Thin Toutuo and Empress Dowager, one man one woman, hiding in the room for several days in a row, I wonder if they had done some other trick or not? The Buddhist hat on the Old Emperor’s head on Mount Wutai, perhaps it will turn somewhat green.” [‘wearing green hat’ – a cuckold]

    Naturally Kangxi could not read his dirty mind; he laughed and said, “Empress Dowager and me have great good fortune, your own good fortune is not small either.”

    Wei Xiaobao said, “Your servant actually does not have any good fortune, it’s because I have been with Your Majesty for such a long time that Your Majesty’s good fortune has rubbed on me.”

    Kangxi burst into loud laughter. He asked, “That Gui Xinshu’s nickname, ‘Shen Quan Wudi’ [divine fist without equal], is his martial art really that formidable?”

    In the midst of his laughter Kangxi suddenly asked this question, in Wei Xiaobao’s ears it was like a thunderclap. His body shook, he felt instead of blood, vinegar was flowing through his legs; they turned limp and painful. “This … this …” he stammered.

    With a cold laugh Kangxi said, “Heaven is my father, Earth is my mother, Fighting the Qing, Restoring the Ming! Wei Xiangzhu, what a big guts you have!”

    Wei Xiaobao felt the sky spun, the earth turned around, his brain crumpled into a ball; the first thought he had was reaching out to pull the dagger in his boot, but he immediately remembered, “He knows everything! Since he even asked me that, that means his card is better than mine. His martial art skill is higher than mine, I cannot kill him with one stab. Even if I could, I am not sure if I can kill him!” Thereupon without hesitation he kneeled down and called out, “Xiao Guizi surrenders, I ask Xiao Xuanzi to spare my life!”

    As soon as these three words ‘Xiao Xuanzi’ entered his ears, the memory of when they were playing and having martial art contest surged up in Kangxi’s mind. He could not help but heaving a deep sigh and said, “You … all along you have concealed everything from me well.”

    Wei Xiaobao kowtowed and said, “Although your servant’s body in Tian Di Hui, toward Your Majesty I am loyal and devoted; I have not done anything that offend Your Majesty.”

    Kangxi sternly said, “If you have the slightest rebellious thought, how could you live until today?”

    Listening to the tone of his voice, Wei Xiaobao could hear the leniency in it; busily he kowtowed again and said, “Your Majesty is ‘raw bird fish soup’, you surpass Zhuge that Liang, your servant will be loyal to the end to my master, just like Guan Yun that Chang.”

    Kangxi was unable to restrain a smile; in his heart he swore, “Damn it, what Zhuge that Liang, Guan Yun that Chang?” But it was such a critical junction in their relationship, if he showed a somewhat false expression, this clown would perform some impromptu comedic act [referring to the opera], would crawl up along the stick, and then Kangxi would not be able to subdue him. Thereupon he shouted, “Tell me everything from head to tail! If you speak half a word of empty words, I’ll chop you into dog meat in soy paste instantly!” Yet when speaking the last sentence, he could not refrain a smile from appearing on the corner of his mouth.

    Wei Xiaobao was crawling on the ground, he could not see that Kangxi’s expression had softened, but listening to his grim voice, he busily kowtowed and said, “Yes, yes. Your Majesty already know everything, how can your servant dare to conceal anything?” Thereupon he narrated how he went to Prince Kang’s mansion and killed Oboi and was captured by Tian Di Hui, how he bowed to Chen Jinnan and took him as his master, how he was forced to enter the Society and be the Xiangzhu of Green Wood Hall, et cetera. Finally he recounted how he came across the three people of Gui Family, how he lost to Gui Zhong in a game of dice, how he drew the secret memorial, how in the garden of Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful he was captured by Gui Erniang, how he guided the three of them to attack the First Concubine’s luan sedan chair in order to warn the Emperor, et cetera. Naturally he skipped the part where he stole the Forty-two-chapter Sutra and other important facts surrounding it. He spoke at length and talked in great details; unexpectedly there were very few lies and extremely a lot of truth, it could be considered the first time in his life that he had ever done this.

    Kangxi constantly inquired him of Tian Di Hui situation, Wei Xiaobao told him truthfully. After listening for a while, Kangxi nodded and said, “Five men share a poem, the Hong Ying in them nobody knows.”

    Wei Xiaobao was startled, “The Emperor knew even the secret code used by my Society’s brothers to identify each other,” he mused. He then recited, “Henceforth it is passed on to the brothers, afterwards knowing each other and have a reunion.”

    Kangxi said, “Entering the Hong Gate for the first time, swearing brotherhood with elder brothers, that same day taking an open oath to show sincerity.”

    Wei Xiaobao said, “Pine and cypress [fig. chaste and undefiled] two branches on the left and right, in the middle the Hong Hua [flood/great flower] Pavilion to swear brotherhood.”

    Kangxi said, “The brothers in front of Zhong Yi [lit. loyal and righteous] Hall, generals and millions of troops selected inside the city wall.”

    Wei Xiaobao recited, “Taking an oath in front of the Fu De [good fortune and virtue] Ancestral Hall, our Hong Ying desire is to fight the Qing and restore the Ming.”

    According to Tian Di Hui rule, once this exchange was finished, the two of them would then announce their names and surnames, and give an account of which Hall they were affiliated with, plus their rank and official duty within the Society. But Kangxi only smiled slightly.

    Wei Xiaobao happily said, “Turns out Your Majesty is also my Society brother. I wonder which Hall do you belong to? And how many incense stick do you burn …” Speaking to here, he realized that he had been thoroughly muddleheaded; Kangxi was the Great Qing Emperor, how could he ‘fight the Qing restore the Ming’? “Beat you this silly kid, beat you this silly kid!” he repeatedly said, while ‘slap, slap!’ he gently slapped his own mouth.

    Kangxi stood up, he paced up and down the hall, and said, “You are an officer of our Manchu, you eat our Great Qing’s good fortune and rice, yet in your heart you harbor the idea of fighting the Qing and restoring the Ming. If did not remember that you have rendered some tiny merit, even if you have a hundred heads, all would have been chopped down long ago.”

    “Yes, yes!” Wei Xiaobao said, “Only because Your Majesty is magnanimous that your servant’s head can be preserved until today. Your servant will withdraw from the Society at once, I don’t want to be Tian Di Hui Xiangzhu no matter what. From now on I won’t fight the Qing restore the Ming at all, I will turn around and fight the Ming restore the Qing.”

    In his belly Kangxi was secretly amused; but he cursed, “My Great Qing has not perished yet, what are you going to restore? A mouthful of nonsense!”

    “Yes, yes!” Wei Xiaobao hastily said, “Your servant will defend and protect my master’s rivers and mountains for ten thousand years. Whatever Your Majesty wants me to restore, I will restore that. Whatever you want me to fight, your servant will fight it.”

    Kangxi lowered his voice, he spoke slowly, word by word, “Very well! I want you to fight Tian Di Hui!”

    “Yes, yes!” Wei Xiaobao said; but in his heart he was groaning, automatically his face revealed a distressed look.

    Kangxi said, “You have a mouthful of graceful words, flowery speech, saying that no matter what you would be loyal and devoted to me, but I don’t know if that’s the truth or a lie.”

    Wei Xiaobao hastily said, “A hundred percent pure gold, a hundred percent pure gold! Nothing can be purer.”

    Kangxi said, “I will examine you carefully, whether or not you have not committed any evil conduct in treason or heresy against me. If you obey my order, this time you incite Tian Di Hui, cut weeds and eliminate the roots, kill all those rebels clean, then you will atone for your crimes by meritorious acts, I will pardon your guilt of deceiving your lord; maybe I will even reward you with something. If you still craftily cheat me, being two-faced, three knives, humph, humph, do you think I cannot kill Tian Di Hui’s Wei Xiangzhu?”

    Wei Xiaobao was so scared that his back was drenched in cold sweats. “Yes, yes,” he repeatedly said, “Your Majesty want to kill your servant, it will be like pinching an ant. But … but Your Majesty is ‘raw bird fish soup’, you won’t kill loyal minister.”

    “Humph,” Kangxi snorted, “What loyal minister are you? You are big-white-face treacherous court official.”

    Wei Xiaobao said, “Your Majesty please understand: while it’s true that there are something that your servant concealed from Your Majesty, in all honesty I am not a big-white-face treacherous court official. Dong Zhuo, Cao Cao[2], definitely I am not them.”

    “Alright!” Kangxi said, “Even if you are not a big-white-face treacherous court official, you are a white-nose clown.”

    The Emperor assigned him different roles of the opera, Wei Xiaobao was relieved instantly; he busily said, “Being a clown is fine. Just like … just like Shi Qian, Zhu Guangzu, they can also render meritorious service to Your Majesty.”

    Kangxi smiled slightly. “Humph,” he said, “You always insist on presenting yourself as a good person. Very well, you select troops and horses, go get Tian Di Hui, Mu Palace, Gui Xinshu, and those bunch of rebel thieves’ heads and bring them here. If you short one head, I will chop one of your hands, if you leave four, I will chop your pair of hands and two legs. If you leave five, which part of you should I chop?”

    Wei Xiaobao said, “This … this … your servant has no choice but to become a real eunuch.”

    Kangxi could not help bursting into loud laughter. “Damn it,” he cursed, “You really know how to count your chickens before they are hatched.”

    With a frown on his face Wei Xiaobao said, “Your Majesty chops my two hands and two legs, most likely your servant won’t live. This head above my neck, whether you chop it or not, it would not make much difference.” He thought, “He even knows about the Mu Palace; he is seriously well-informed.”

    Kangxi put his hand into his sleeve and took out a sheet of paper. He read, “Tian Di Hui Zongduozhu Chen Jinnan, Green Wood Hall Xiangzhu Wei Xiaobao, subordinates Li Lishi, Xu Tianchuan, Priest Xuanzhen, Qian Laoben, Gao Yanchao, Feng Jizhong, and the others; Mu Family’s Mu Jiansheng, Liu Dahong, Wu Lishen and the others, the three assassins who entered the Palace were Gui Xinshu, Gui Erniang, Gui Zhong. One, two, three, four, five … altogether there are forty-three rebel thieves. If you are not included, the total is forty-two names.”


    [2] Dong Zhuo (-192), top general of late Han, usurped power in 189, murdered empress dowager and child emperor, killed in 192 by Lü Bu. Cao Cao (155-220), famous statesman and general at the end of Han, noted poet and calligrapher, later warlord, founder and first king of Cao Wei, father of Emperor Cao Pi, the main villain of novel the Romance of Three Kingdoms.

  5. #2665
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    KX may have continue to pretend not knowing WXB's relationship with TDH if not for the assassination attempts by the Guis. This is the only action that may directly harm KX.
    You plant a garden and the flowers do not bloom, you poke a stick in the mud and it grows into a tree

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    Senior Member crazee's Avatar
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    wow....XB's in hot soup. Now that the tiger cub had grown up to be a tiger....dangerous, real dangerous.
    I wonder how XB's going to get out now, Looks like KX is not as simple as he make up to be. How on earth did he know all the details ???? I smell rat. It can be KX is a member of TDH....it can only mean that there is treachery within the society....turn coats. I suppose if XB can be a 2 timer, why not others ??

    Thanks Foxs....the story line is really getting more complicated. I miss the youngsters innocent fun....
    cheerio..

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    Gotta admire Xiaobao's survival instincts! First impulse was to eliminate his immediate threat, but quick wits enabled him to carefully assess his situation. In this high stakes battle, Kangxi already sees right through Xiaobao's cards. Still, I would be wary of any subordinate capable of killing as casually as drinking tea.

    Kangxi has superior intellect, already able to deduce the mystery surrounding Empress Dowager's capture. But without Xiaobao's invaluable merits, the Qing empire would invariably have suffered some crushing losses. Interesting setup to see how events unfold.

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    If the Qing agents were just somewhat competent, I don't think it would be hard to infiltrate Tin Di Hui as we have discussed in numerous examples where the underground societies were all big fans of holding giant "public" rallies and meetings with no ID check. Again, 40 odd people (with known rebels) showing up in high court official (WXB) home in the middle of Beijing is act in itself horribly suspicious.

    Question that has never been answered is at which point did KX find out about WXB being undercover and decided to pretend not to know. Was it after the delivering Princess to Yunnan? Was it after returning from Russia? He would not have sent WXB on mission to serve his father at the temple if there was possibility to draw rebels.

    I remember fondly when WXB cheers KX up about Wu Sangui when he teaches him to pee on the "Wu Sangui" rocks at the temple. That seems far too childish and genuine to be starting to have guard up against a person.

    My mind's eye also saw KX anxious to almost bursting with tears of joy when WXB returns after being kidnapped by the nun.

    Also KX sent ship after ship to to find WXB when he was presumed lost at sea when they bombed Shen Long Gau.
    Last edited by smurf120; 09-25-12 at 12:34 PM.

  9. #2669
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    Oops....sorry about the spoiler! I didn't realise it was the next scene, as I only watch bits and pieces of the various dramas.

    And again, apologies to all~~~
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Kangxi seems to be so much more effective and vigorous at the start of his reign, compared to the last years where the treasury got into trouble through mismanagement and corruption.

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    Thanks foxs
    Sunday is the mid autumn festival.

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    Long time didin't drop in, seems need to trace back the last chapter I read
    Thanks Foxs for translating this great story.

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    Quote Originally Posted by smurf120 View Post
    If the Qing agents were just somewhat competent, I don't think it would be hard to infiltrate Tin Di Hui as we have discussed in numerous examples where the underground societies were all big fans of holding giant "public" rallies and meetings with no ID check. Again, 40 odd people (with known rebels) showing up in high court official (WXB) home in the middle of Beijing is act in itself horribly suspicious.
    In probably the most successful infiltration campaign in history, the British managed to capture or turn every German agent in Britain in WWII, so that every single agent that the Germans relied on for information was actually working for the British.

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    I agree. WXB would definitely be street-smart. If he had to survive outside the palace, he'd have to rely on WXB.

    Wow, what a mess... WXB is lucky that he's been a childhood friend of KX, otherwise I think KX would have no problem killing him, even if he was a loyal minister. Notice how KX's heart softened when the words 'Xiao Xuan Zi" were mentioned. Wow I didn't know WXB's first instinct was to pull out the knife and kill him....i don't think it was mentioned in any of the TV series adaptations.

    lmao at WXB assuming the Emperor was also party of TDH. Poor guy got tricked because of the secret code xD

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    Thanks Foxs! I have so much to read hehehe

    I hope wxb will stay true to xiao xuanzi all the way...cant bear to see their friendship broken up. I wonder how this time wxb could avoid an attack on tiandihui, hmmm....

  15. #2675
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    Quote Originally Posted by smurf120 View Post
    If the Qing agents were just somewhat competent, I don't think it would be hard to infiltrate Tin Di Hui as we have discussed in numerous examples where the underground societies were all big fans of holding giant "public" rallies and meetings with no ID check. Again, 40 odd people (with known rebels) showing up in high court official (WXB) home in the middle of Beijing is act in itself horribly suspicious.

    Question that has never been answered is at which point did KX find out about WXB being undercover and decided to pretend not to know. Was it after the delivering Princess to Yunnan? Was it after returning from Russia? He would not have sent WXB on mission to serve his father at the temple if there was possibility to draw rebels.
    It is really hard to determine since when KX was alerted to WXB’s dual status. Maybe ever since WXB was ‘kidnapped’ by Jiu Nan? WXB’s stories to Dolong and KX did not match with each other. WXB told KX he escaped with Yang Yi Zhi’s help, however that did not explain why he was at Hejian. As someone who has just escaped, how can he be leisurely walking around at the place swarmed by the rebels?

    The events at Yunnan certainly raised a lot of questions. Especially on how WXB was able to escape despite being surrounded by WSG’s army at that nunnery. It was clear that WXB was at severe disadvantage, with his men was captured, but suddenly WSG released them, and also gave a lot of presents. KX’s spies at Yunnan should have reported the incident to him.
    You plant a garden and the flowers do not bloom, you poke a stick in the mud and it grows into a tree

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    Default Chapter 43 - Part 3

    Ace, Smurf, maybe I am too simple, but I am with WXB in this one. Reading the part just before he sent the fake Empress Dowager to see the real one, Kangxi did not seem to suspect anything. He sounded sincere. Unless he was a very good actor. But bottom line is: you are right, Jin Yong did not explicitly explain when. Crazee, rat, that's for sure. Question is: who? 9Dragons, WXB kinda remind me of Forrest Gump, he was right in the middle of history ... Chowbeng, no worries, honest mistake. Anh, is it already? Thanks for the reminder. Gubrak, welcome back. Pannonian, long ago I read a story about German spy in Britain, code name Needle ... One of my favorite WWII stories is (are, actually) Alistair McLean's Guns of Navarone and Force Ten of Navarone. Too bad I can't find those books anymore. Zhx, Owlhoot, that is true. Kangxi seemed to value his childhood memory a lot.


    Wei Xiaobao dropped on his knees again and knocked his head twice. “Your Majesty,” he said, “Although this bunch of people say that they want to fight the Qing and restore the Ming, they have not been able to fight successfully, nor restore successfully. Let me talk to them. Above Your Majesty know astronomy, below you know geography, past and future, you know everything. Your Majesty have said that the Great Qing’s rivers and mountains will last ten thousand upon ten thousand years; that is definitely not wrong. Fighting the Qing they cannot fight successfully, it would be better if they disband their groups.”

    Kangxi reached out and slapped the table heavily; he said in a stern voice, “You are stubbornly refusing to accept orders, unwilling to arrest the rebel thieves?”

    Wei Xiaobao thought, “Heroes of Jianghu attach most importance to yi qi. If I arrest Shifu and the others, His Majesty will definitely chop their heads. If that happens, Wei Xiaobao is selling his friends, I become Wu Sangui. Ay, at that time why I did not masquerade as other people, but masqueraded as Xiao Guizi instead. Xiao Guizi, Xiao Guizi, isn’t that Wu Sangui’s son? [same ‘gui’ character] I don’t want to be Bojue Daren anymore, I have to find a way to warn Shifu and the others to run away, to roll out of damn stinking duck egg.”

    Seeing he did not answer, Kangxi was even more angry. “So what is it?” he barked, “Don’t you know that you have committed a great crime? I give you a chance to reform and start afresh, a golden opportunity to atone for your crimes by meritorious acts, you are still haggling with me?”

    “Your Majesty,” Wei Xiaobao said, “They wanted to come and harm you, I staked everything to stop; your servant upheld yi qi toward you. Your Majesty wanted to arrest them, your servant stood in the middle, it’s hard for me to conduct myself, I have no choice but to plead with you; this is also for the sake of yi qi.”

    Kangxi angrily said, “In your heart you are leaning toward the rebel thieves; that is ‘undivided obedience toward the rebels, eyes not looking at the lord’, yet you are still talking about yi qi?” After a short pause he continued, “You have saved my life, you have saved Fu Huang, saved the Empress Dowager. If I kill you today, in your heart you won’t submit; you will say that I did not have yi qi toward you, will you not?”

    At this stage, Wei Xiaobao might as well harden his scalp. “That’s true,” he said, “Your Majesty has promised that if your servant ever makes mistake, Your Majesty will spare my life. The Lord of Ten Thousand Year’s golden mouth, once said you cannot go back on your word.”

    “Alright,” Kangxi said, “You have deep plans and distant thoughts; you have prepared this move early on. Humph, your heart must be put to death.”

    Wei Xiaobao did not understand the meaning of the four-word phrase ‘your heart must be put to death’ [I don’t either, 其心可诛, any thought?], but he presumed it was not a good word. Ever since he knew Kangxi, he had never seen him losing his temper like this; he mused, “My head has been chopped more than half. With the young Emperor’s bad temper, pleading for leniency is useless; I’d better reason with him.” He said, “Your Majesty, I did obeisance to you as my master, you have agreed to take me as your disciple. That Chen Jinnan is also my Shifu. If I harbor any intention to harm you, that means I ‘deceive my master exterminate my ancestor’. If I go to harm that other Shifu, that means I also ‘deceive my master exterminate my ancestor’. Besides … besides, an emperor chopping his servant’s head is of course perfectly normal. But Shifu chopping his disciple’s head, it’s a bit out of place.”

    Kangxi thought, “Accepting him as a disciple was just a joke; it was clearly stated then. This kid relies on my favor and his pride, he is undisciplined and out of control, unexpectedly he talked about me and the bandit chief in one breath, he is really creating a lot of trouble …” While he was thinking to this point, suddenly faint noise of people shouting and yelling from a distant, and ‘bing bing bang bang’ noise of weapons clashing.

    Wei Xiaobao sprang up and said, “Seems like there are assassins. Shifu, please sit down and don’t move, let disciple block in front of you.”

    “Humph,” Kangxi snorted; he thought, “This kid has committed thousands of inappropriate deeds, but to me he actually has loyal and loving heart.” He said, “Later on you must not me Shifu anymore. You did not abide by the law of our school, as the Shifu, I am expelling you.” Speaking those words, he could not help feeling amused.

    They heard footsteps, several people were rushing outside the Hall’s gate and stopped there. Wei Xiaobao rushed behind the door and immediately lifted up the latch to bolt the door. In a matter of life and death like this, his hands and feet could move very quickly, indeed it was unbelievable. “Who’s there?” he shouted.

    Outside someone said in a loud voice, “Reporting to Your Majesty: Three assassins are breaking into the Palace, the night guards have already surrounded them, very soon they will be captured.”

    Wei Xiaobao thought, “In the end the three people of Gui Family are not able to escape.” He shouted, “His Majesty knew. Quickly get a hundred Imperial Bodyguards around Yang Xin Hall to protect the holy self, also station thirty guards on the roof.” The Imperial Bodyguard Captain outside the Hall acknowledged the order and left.

    Kangxi thought, “He is very thorough. That day when I met with danger on Mount Wutai, that nun in white broke the tile from the roof and jumped down, it was indeed very hard to guard against. Luckily this kid dashed on bravely with no thought of his own safety and blocked the sword in front of me.”

    After a while the sound of clamor gradually diminished, but a moment later the noise of clashing weapons arose again. Kangxi frowned and said, “Only three assassins and they cannot capture them. What if there are three hundred or three thousand assassins?”

    “Your Majesty need not be worried,” Wei Xiaobao said, “People with background like Gui Xinshu are very few in the world, at most there are only four or five.”

    Another moment passed, they heard footsteps and the ringing sound of swords and sabers; the deployed night guards arrived outside the Hall. They also heard noise from all around the roof; the night guards had leaped onto the roof of the Hall. The guards knew that the Emperor was inside the Hall, hence they all stood on the eaves and the corners of the roof; nobody dared to walk across the roof, otherwise it would be extremely disrespectful if they stood above the top of the Emperor’s head.

    Kangxi knew that around the Yang Xin Hall alone there were at least four or five hundred Imperial Guards protecting him, he had absolutely nothing to worry about, thereupon he no longer care about the assassins. “Look what I have here,” he said. From inside his sleeve he took out a piece of paper and spread it out on the table.

    Wei Xiaobao came over to look; it was a drawing. In the middle there was a big building, with a flagpole and stone lions in front of the building; it looked a lot like his own Earl Mansion. There were a dozen or more cannon arranged all around the building, the mouths of the cannon were aimed at the big building. After he looked closer, the building looked more and more like his house. “Do you recognize the building?” Kangxi asked.

    “It looks a bit like your servant’s dog house,” Wei Xiaobao replied.

    “It’s good that you recognize it,” Kangxi said. Pointing to the four characters above the drawing he asked, “Do you also recognize these four characters ‘Zhong Yong Bo Fu’ [Loyal and Brave Earl Mansion]?”

    Realizing that the building was indeed his house, Wei Xiaobao could not help but breaking into cold sweats. That many cannon set up all four sides of his residence, naturally it was not a good thing. He had personally seen the two foreign devils Tang Ruowang and Nan Huairen fired the cannon; when the cannon went off, with a loud bang a blaze rose to the sky, mud and rocks splased several dozen zhang into the air. Even if he wore a hundred protective treasured vests, he would still be blown into dog meat paste. Thinking about the power of the cannon blast, he could not help but shuddered.

    Kangxi slowly said, “Tonight, your Tian Di Hui, Yunnan’s Mu Family, Huashan Pai’s surnamed Gui, plus Wang Wu Pai disciples Situ He and their people will convene at your house. Right now my twelve cannon are set up in private houses all around your house, the cannon are already loaded with cannonballs and gunpowder. We only need to open the window, exposing the muzzle, lighted the fuse, and I am afraid not a single rebel thief will be able to escape alive. If they are not dead from the bombardment and escape outside, several squads of Vanguard Battalion troops and horses are stationed in the surrounding area, they won’t be able to eat rice no matter what. Did you see Vanguard Battalion Commander Ajichi just now? He has gone to inspect the troops in preparation for the action. The Vanguard Battalion has never had a harmonious relation with the Valiant Cavalry Brigade under your command, they may not necessarily let you go.”

    Wei Xiaobao said with a trembling voice, “Your Majesty has considered everything, but you tell it clearly to your servant only now, it is because you want to spare your servant’s life. Whatever little merit your servant previously has, hereby it is used to atone for my crime; it is all used up, not the slightest bit is left.”

    Kangxi smiled and said, “It’s good that you understand. Just like the two of us playing Pai Jiu, you won quite a bit of money first, but in one bet you lost everything to me. Your previous wins all at once are lost, from now on you neither win nor lose. If we want to keep playing, we have to start anew.”

    Wei Xiaobao let out a gentle sigh, he said, “I really have to thank Your Majesty’s kindness. From now on your servant will concentrate on working for Your Majesty. Forget about Tian Di Hui, even Tian Jiu Hui’s [heaven nine society] Xiangzhu your servant will not want to do it.” In his heart he was secretly worried, “Shifu and the others agreed to meet again at my house tonight, how can I warn them so they won’t come?” He said, “Your Majesty ordered your servant to capture this bunch of rebel thieves, you were simply testing your servant’s heart. The fact is that Your Majesty has already had divine foresight and amazing plan, everything else is a thousand-li distant.”

    They heard someone outside the Hall said in a loud and clear voice, “Reporting to Your Majesty: the rebel thieves have been arrested!”

    Kangxi’s face showed delight. “Bring them in!” he shouted.

    “Yes!” Wei Xiaobao complied. He turned around and lifted the bolt and opened the Hall’s gate.

    Several dozen Imperial Bodyguards, with the Gui Family three people in the midst of them, came in. They shouted together, “Kowtow to His Majesty, kneel down!”

    The several dozen Imperial Bodyguards kneeled down together. Gui Xinshu, Gui Erniang and Gui Zhong, three people, were covered in blood, their bodies were full of wounds, but they stood upright and unafraid. All three of them were bound with thick ropes, each person had two Imperial Bodyguards standing by their side holding the other end of the ropes. The Imperial Bodyguard captain shouted, “Kneel down! Kneel down!” But how could the Gui Family trio pay him any attention?

    They heard dripping noise in the Hall, the blood from the three Gui Family people and the wounded Imperial Bodyguards was continuously dripping to the floor. Gui Erniang glowered at Wei Xiaobao and shouted, “Little traitor, you … you are a stinky thief!” Seeing the miserable condition of these three people, Wei Xiaobao could not help feeling grieved; he did not even try to answer the insult.

    Kangxi nodded and said, “Turns out Shen Quan Wu Di Gui Xinshu is such an old man! How many of our men are dead or injured?”

    The Imperial Bodyguard captain replied, “Reporting to Your Majesty: the rebel thieves are extremely vicious, Imperial Bodyguards who died in the line of duty were more than thirty, those who are injured are more than forty.”

    “Hey,” Kangxi said, while waving his hand. Inwardly he praised, “Amazing!”

    The Imperial Bodyguard captain ordered his men to bring the three people out. Suddenly Gui Xinshu let out a loud shout and exerted his internal strength, his right shoulder crashed onto the Imperial Bodyguard standing by his side.

    “Ah!” the Imperial Bodyguard cried out, while his body flew out, his head crashed onto the wall, sending him to instant death.

    Gui Xinshu grabbed the rope binding Gui Zhong. Stretching and pulling, ‘Snap!’ the rope broke. Gui Xinshu grabbed Gui Zhong’s body and shouted, “Child, quickly go, Mama and I will follow really soon.” He threw Gui Zhong outside, Gui Zhong’s body flew out of the Hall’s gate.

    Right this moment the Gui Family husband and wife leaped together to pounce on Kangxi. Seeing this adverse turn of events, Wei Xiaobao was greatly shocked; he scrambled up to embrace Kangxi and pull him down underneath the table, his back was facing outward, acting as a shield to protect Kangxi.

    They heard ‘slap, slap!’ twice, followed by several Imperial Bodyguards rushed over to protect Kangxi and Wei Xiaobao. When they looked at the Gui Family husband and wife, they saw that they were lying in a pool of blood, with seven or eight sabers and swords sticking out of their backs; looked like they were no longer alive.

    After strenuously killing several dozen Imperial Bodyguards, Gui Xinshu suffered serious injury, lastly, he used up his internal energy to break the rope binding his son before pouncing on Kangxi. Gui Erniang understood her husband’s intention. On one hand, at the death’s door they hoped to take the Tatar Emperor’s life with their last strike; on the other hand, they hoped that in the confusion their child would be able to escape. But their hands and feet were firmly tied, they had no strength left to break the ropes; therefore, they both leaped together to attack Kangxi. However, after the fierce battle outside, they were like drying oil lantern. Their bodies were in the air when their mouths spurted blood, they could not endure anymore and fell to the floor; even if the Imperial Bodyguards did not hack and chop, they would have died anyway.

    Kangxi calmed down a little bit. He frowned and said, “Pull them out, pull them out!” The Imperial Bodyguards replied in chorus.

    They were just about to lift the two bodies when from the Hall’s door a shadow flashed by. Someone was flying in, his movement was extremely fast, he threw himself to the Gui Family husband and wife’s bodies and called out loudly, “Ma, Dad!” It was Gui Zhong.

    Several Imperial Bodyguards hacked down with their sabers and swords, unexpectedly Gui Zhong did not evade at all. The blades landed on his body. They only heard him gasping for breath and said, “Ma, you … you are not coming with me, what should I do? I don’t know the way …” He coughed twice, his head drooped down and he died. In all his life he followed his mother closely; his mother took care of everything. This moment as he left his father and mother, he felt completely lost. Although he managed to leave Yang Xin Hall, in the end he came back to be with his father and mother.

  17. #2677
    Senior Member SkyWalker's Avatar
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    Thanks for another update foxs.

    That was really sad. I don't like the Guis, but I really felt bad for them. As for WXB, he still considers KX his friend and once again, risks his life to protect him. Hopefully KX won't treat WXB too badly after this incident.

  18. #2678
    Senior Member smurf120's Avatar
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    Foxs - I think you are right, KX sounded very genuine to WXB all the way through. Maybe he found out all the information at once about WXB when the memorial came in detailing who was at his house. But knew about the secret phrases beforehand - this is one mystery we shall never know.

    But now that all has been exposed, it must be very hard for them to face each other.

  19. #2679
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    Kinda felt bad for the Guis, but they were asking for it :\

    I like that WXB risked his life to protect KX a second time. Shows how their friendship is so genuine, even though wxb got into a mess.

    thx for the update.

  20. #2680
    Moderator Ren Wo Xing's Avatar
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    其心可诛 is a chengyu which essentially means that a person is worthy of punishment due to having prepared a premeditated plan/intention, even if that plan wasn't carried out. Basically, it means that the premeditated intent, in and of itself, is sufficient to condemn someone as guilty.

    In this specific instance, Kangxi is saying that Wei Xiaobao's preparation of an escape route for himself, in and of itself, was sufficient to condemn him as being guilty, even if it was never used (which he now was).
    Read the latest chapters of Coiling Dragon at Wuxia World!

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