I might have partially misjudged Granny Sheun.

[Ken Cheng]

I've never liked the character of Granny Sheun from ROCH and I still don't, but I think in one aspect, at least, I might have misjudged her.

For years, I overlooked the reason that she went to the Chung Yeung Temple with Yeung Gor, leading to her fatal duel with Gok Dai Tung: she hadn't gone to the temple to cause trouble, but to deliver the honeybee antidote to Chiu Tze Ging. I'm unclear if she did that on Little Dragon Girl's orders or of her own volition, but either way, the willingness to show mercy to Chiu Tze Ging (who didn't ever deserve it) and provide him the antidote does raise my opinion of the Ancient Tombers a little bit.

I admit: I have a soft spot for people who are willing to help out others whom they have no obligation to help.

[pannonian]

Xiao Longnu slowly got up, and said, “His wounds are not serious,
Grandma, send him out!”

Both Grandma Sun and Yang Guo were startled. Yang Guo loudly said, “I
won’t return, I’d rather die.”

Grandma Sun said, “Miss, if he returns to Chongyang Palace, his master
will punish him.”

Xiao Longnu said, “You return with him, find his master and tell him
there is no need to punish the child.”

Grandma Sun said, “Ah, it’s another sect’s business, we can’t do
anything about it.”

Xiao Longnu said, “Take a bottle of Jade Bee honey with you, and then
tell them, the old Taoist will listen.”

The honey was a bribe from Xiao Longnu to persuade the Quanzhen taoists not to harm Yang Guo, made necessary because Xiao Longnu ordered Granny Sun to return Yang Guo to Quanzhen.

[Doc Kwok]

The honey was a bribe from Xiao Longnu to persuade the Quanzhen taoists not to harm Yang Guo, made necessary because Xiao Longnu ordered Granny Sun to return Yang Guo to Quanzhen.

However, Granny Sun then decided to disobey her orders and leave with Yang Guo, in effect discharging herself from service to XLN, so she had no real obligation to delver the antidote at the point. However, the decision wasn't entirely altruistic either, since there would be severe consequences if Zhao Zhijing died.

[Ken Cheng]

However, Granny Sun then decided to disobey her orders and leave with Yang Guo, in effect discharging herself from service to XLN, so she had no real obligation to delver the antidote at the point. However, the decision wasn't entirely altruistic either, since there would be severe consequences if Zhao Zhijing died.

Isn't the honeybee toxin nonlethal? I've always been under the impression that although it inflicts intolerable pain and itching, it doesn't kill.

[Doc Kwok]

Isn't the honeybee toxin nonlethal? I've always been under the impression that although it inflicts intolerable pain and itching, it doesn't kill.

Granny Sun implied it when she thought 'this smelly Daoist is certainly despicable, but his misdeeds don't deserve death, if he does not take the honey, then there will certainly be endless consequences'. And Zhao Zhijing was ultimately stung to death while trapped under the bell, though arguably normal bees could also do that.

I guess as with all poisons, it depends on the quantity. ZZJ was put out of action by just two stings to the cheek, and didn't get any better after a week, so it was pretty potent. The 'it will get better after 7x7=49 days' thing is made up by TVB by the way - though if you had to constantly put up with pain and itching that would make a hardened warrior squeal like a pig in public for 49 days, you would probably rather end it all early with a sword.

[Ken Cheng]

Granny Sun implied it when she thought 'this smelly Daoist is certainly despicable, but his misdeeds don't deserve death, if he does not take the honey, then there will certainly be endless consequences'. And Zhao Zhijing was ultimately stung to death while trapped under the bell, though arguably normal bees could also do that.

There's the key line. Although I still don't like them very much, it's a good argument that the Ancient Tombers were perhaps better people than I'd previously given them credit for.

They're still *annoying*, but at least I can buy into the idea that they're (Lee Mok Sau aside) basically ethical and benign people.