The Sage, the Swordsman and the Scholars

by Pierre Dimaculangan

  “Such a creature exists??” Zuo Shilong was in disbelief.

  “Indeed. Here in Huangshan, one tends to see and hear things no one else would believe.”

  “I hope to see this ‘ye-ren’ one day.”

  “What brings you to the Sanctuary at Huangshan, my monk friend?” asked the Keeper taking on a more friendly tone. “More specifically, what compelled you to accompany Famin Jie on his journey?” Zuo Shilong paused for a moment to gather his answer in his mind, though he himself had forgotten how he managed to embark on this journey with the teacher.

  “Before my meeting with the teacher, I spent my days wandering from town to town searching for any place where I can help the people. I help them build, work the land, or fight bullies. Yes, that is my desire, to help the people and to protect them from harm. That is all I have ever wanted to do. I do not care for great rewards or recognition, though I try to accept the benevolence of the people with humility and great gratitude,” said Zuo Shilong innocently with passion. “The generosity of the people has never left me hungry.”

  The Keeper smiled. “That is a very noble pursuit and I commend you for taking up this selfless path. What of your brothers in the monastery at Shaoshi Mountain?” asked Keeper curiously.

  “The longer I stayed at the Temple, the more questions plagued my mind. I searched and searched for answers. What is destiny? What is meaning? What is the standard of righteousness and evil? Why are we here? The masters that raised me at Shaoshi Mountains had grown weary of my questioning and came a time that I offended them. A fellow monk confronted me and in defense, I struck him with my hands. He nearly died. Such a deed was unforgiveable. Thus, I was banished. Since my inability to find answers greatly frustrated me, I occupied myself helping people across the lands to distract my mind from such queries. When I met the teacher, I believed I seemed to have met someone with the wisdom and insight I sought after. His teachings were profoundly wise despite being opposed to my own opinions. I recognized this immediately, so I have agreed to follow him.”

  The Keeper grinned at Zuo Shilong’s story and was pleased that his path had crossed with Famin Jie. Their meeting was no accident, he thought. “Those who seek truth with seriousness and sincerity while keeping an open mind soon find their answers revealed to them,” said Keeper. “There have been a few serious seekers just like you who have walked through the halls of this Sanctuary over the years and to my delight, they have found the answers to their questions! It is not by mere fate that you have found your way here, Shilong. Peace and clarity is what you will find soon enough, for Heaven directs the paths of those who follow righteousness and earnestly seek the truth,” Keeper said.

  For the first time in a long time Zuo Shilong the warrior monk felt the flame of hope rekindled in his heart. There in the halls of the Sanctuary where sparse groups of academics tread to and fro, the monk and the sage talked of things of great depth and meaning –food for Zuo Shilong’s hungering spirit.

  Jirgal approached them from the other end of the hallway and was apparently in a good mood. “Hello, Mister Keeper. Hi, Monk! I must say this place is amazing, and I am truly impressed with how you’re all able to dish out a living up here in the middle of nowhere! How on earth did they manage to build this place on a mountain? The logistics must have been a nightmare. Oh, and the study halls and libraries are very lovely,” said Jirgal gleefully nodding his head in approval.

  “That is pleasing to hear . Have you found any interesting material?” asked the Keeper.

  Jirgal scratched his head saying “Oh, no, I can’t read.”

  ****

  In the Secret Place, the oppression of darkness was more powerful than that of the witch he encountered in the forest. It had come upon him with the tremendous burdens of guilt, anger, doubt, and despair in an effort to cast his very being far away from his meditation. In the throes of the oppression befalling him in his solitude, Famin Jie cried out in anguish as the images of his past were whispered into his mind and soul, like smoke snaking through every crack and crevice of a burning house.

  “Oh, Heaven who is called Most High, if you find favor in me, I only humbly ask that in thy mercy thou would freest me from these burdens and cast them as far as the East is from the West!” As quickly as the pain and anguish engulfed him, so too did it dissipate and cease altogether. The Darkness and the hosts that delivered his oppression had fled. All had gone quiet and the deafening silence that had befallen the Secret Place faded away.

  Yet another figure steadily approached Famin Jie from the winding stairs that descended sharply from the mountain’s peak. It stood before him and its voice called out to Famin Jie from a dim corner of the Secret Place. He had the appearance of a mighty warrior with eyes that could pierce the strongest shield, and he wore long garments of white embroidered with shades of gold and other such colors he had never before seen. Jie was terrified and fell on his back trembling in awe and fear of this mysterious figure who wielded a powerful presence. “There is no reason to fear, Famin Jie for Shang Di knows your virtue and has heard your pleas. I am here to deliver a message of great importance to you,” the figure told him.

  “You know my name. Whom among the creatures of this earth do you favor?” Famin Jie asked sternly though he was fearful.

  “There is none on earth whom I favor. The tasks of Heaven are what occupy me alone,” the figure said with a resonating voice. Famin Jie then sat on his knees and from the respect and reverence of his heart, he bowed and pressed his head against the ground ready to receive the instruction of Heaven. The words of the visiting figure poured forth the instruction, peace, and assurance that Heaven alone could bestow.

  “You are to go to the Capital and proceed into the court of the one who holds Heaven’s Mandate,” the figure said, “and let the ears of all who will listen hear the truth of what is and what is to come. This message which you know well in your heart shall go forth to the nations over the mountains and the seas.”

  “The emperor’s court? I am but a lowly hermit of dusty rags and an unknown name. It is hard for me to understand, but lo, my ways do not compare to Heaven’s ways.” Famin Jie whispered to himself. The figure answered. “The path before you has been set. Your tongue will be blessed, and your body will be strengthened for the hardship to come. The heart of the emperor is prepared and the people must make room for the return of the Way for it shall be the light in the coming darkness. Your companions shall continue to accompany you so that they may bear witness to the deliverance of Heaven over all the people. They too shall be instruments for the cause of righteousness. The battles that will ensue over the corners of the earth are one in the outcome of the battles you cannot see,” the figure declared lastly.

  “This servant has heard the messenger’s words. May it be as Heaven declared,” he acknowledged. The messenger then looked up into the sky intently and slowly stepped back as he proceeded to exit.

  “The forces that dominate the skies above you have tried to impede me during my approach and have finally returned,” he said lastly. The figure proceeded back up the winding stairs that led to the mountain peak and rounded the corner leading to the other side of the slopes never to be seen again.

  After all that had transpired, Famin Jie’s meditation in solitude had finally come to an end. Famin Jie sat in silence overcome at what he had just heard. The supernatural encounter was the first he had ever experienced but he found tranquility instead of anxiety. ‘The Guardian of Celestial Peak the figure was called’. Thought to have been only a myth, Famin Jie has now confirmed otherwise. Legends tell that there had been only one other instance where he had been encountered… and that was many centuries ago.

  At the gate of the Sanctuary before the emergence of sunrise, a veteran walked the front steps leading to the large wooden doors. He was cloaked tightly with a hooded cape and hastily made way towards the Sanctuary’s entrance to seek shelter from the cold. When the old woman let him in he removed his hooded cloak.
r />   “Well hello, Master Lo. It has been quite some time,” she said in a quivering voice.

  “Yes, indeed,” he replied with a bow. “It is good to be back in the place where I was reborn.”

  9 REVOLUTION IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY

  THE SCHOLARS AND ONE HUNDRED Academicians made haste towards the capital on the warship the Phoenix Spirit at a speed unmatched by any other vessel in the Ming Imperial Navy. The open sea was quite a relief from the hustle and bustle of the city and the stale ocean breeze was refreshing in comparison to the dust and grime of the streets. These simple pleasures were most appreciated by Lu Guanying who looked forward to their arrival in Beijing so that they may coordinate with their comrades in Hanlin Academy, the institution with which the League was well-connected. The Yellow Sea has always been known as the ‘peaceful’ ocean but was no longer at peace. The waters near the eastern shores of the Middle Kingdom have become a highway for pirates for many years and have grown even more rampant since a severe restriction on ocean-going navigation had been imposed on sailors many years ago. Hostile ships still managed to slip through the seas unchecked.

  This fact did not go unnoticed by the Scholars and the crew of the Phoenix Spirit who came upon a pair of pirate ships far towards the East, sailing and rowing south at a quickened pace. They bore the banner of Mizushima the pirate lord who had recently had a duel with Sun Xin that ended in a bare stalemate.

  “The pirates sail south downwind. It seems they are assembling… amassing. There is naught but scattered islands in the south of the Yellow Sea,” commented Shang Jian as he peered through his spyglass.

  “I suspect those islands harbor a pirate bay or two. Should we test the weapons system on the ship to see if Big Bang’s claims will hold?” Tian Qiu asked.

  “Not today, brother. Our priority is the capital. We cannot afford any delays or distractions at such a crucial time, regardless of our ship’s superiority. The pirates will definitely be dealt with later,” he replied sternly. As soon as he had finished speaking, puffs of blue flames erupted from the box-shaped pirate ships and explosions rang around the Phoenix Spirit’s port and starboard and soaked the deck with foamy sea water.

  “They’re coming about!” shouted one of the crew.

  Big Bang came running out from below deck shouting and challenging the pirates to a fight. “You want to fight, do you!? Come get a taste of my very own arsenal, you savages!” he shouted with crazed laughter and excitement as he pounded his chest.

  “We are out range, sir!” cried one of the crew members as he clung to the railings bracing for another impact.

  “Get the missiles ready now!” Shang Jian barked. The crew brought forth a set of fierce long-range weapons from iron cases. They were two-stage missiles twice the length of a man’s arm and powered by a set of rockets on either side. It was elaborately called Fire Dragon Issuing from the Water, and appropriately so, for the anterior of the missile was carved to liken a face of a roaring dragon which unleashed a barrage of fiery arrows should the rockets burn out before reaching the target. The ordnance can be fired into the air or cruise above the water for up to two li. However, with Big Bang’s personal improvements, they were able to reach further distances.

  A second volley erupted from one of the ships but the projectiles missed by a small margin, again soaking the deck and the crew.

  The missiles were mounted on their platforms and primed to launch when the enemy ships fired a second volley with one of the flaming rounds grazing the rear of the vessel. The ship listed slightly with the impact. One of the Academicians grasped the rotating tiller with all his might and spun it around into a hard right that brought the ship ready for retaliation. The shafts and gears that connected the modified tiller to the rudder groaned with the strain.

  “Launch the missiles now!” shouted Big Bang with a war cry. The rockets ignited and launched simultaneously with a boisterous rumbling roar that sent the five missiles racing towards the pirate ships as the crew dove away from the back blast. Two missiles scored direct hits on the nearest vessel and engulfed it in flames instantly. The remaining three destroyed the sails and punctured the hulls of the second ships with fiery explosion. Still, the pirates’ oars continued to row even as the flames spread.

  The Phoenix Spirit circled around the pirate squadron before it could maneuver for a third volley.

  The cannons were primed to fire with the crew and Academicians waiting to ignite the fuses. Shang Jian waited for the Phoenix Spirit and enemy ships to get into position.

  “Hold, hold!” he shouted. As soon the enemy ships lined up, “Fire! Fire all!” he cried.

  With a series of consecutive ‘booms’, the cannons fired away and unleashed a thunderous salvo of shells that arced over the water, and with remarkable accuracy, slammed into the hull of one pirate ship, shredding it and sending planks and splinters in all directions. Clouds of white smoke crawled over the deck.

  Through the lens, Shang Jian observed the pirates then crashing into the water with some sinking to the depths under the weight of their own armor. Others clung to wooden planks and debris as their very own ships burned away or disappeared beneath the waves.

  Shang Jian retracted his monocular and rubbed his chin in satisfaction and winced at the ringing in his ears.

  “Aha! Take that, you arrogant buffoons!” Big Bang scorned at the pirates. His unique maniacal laughter continued as the crew cheered for their seamless victory against overwhelming odds thanks to the heavy armaments he had personally engineered and supplied.

  “I am quite impressed with your new designs to these armaments,” commented Tian Qiu to Big Bang.

  “Of course you’re impressed! I live for this stuff! Besides, you saw those pirates can’t aim if their lives depended on it!” Big Bang replied enthusiastically. The pirates were no longer a threat and were unable to make chase.

  The Phoenix Spirit continued towards their rendezvous near the capital and the closer they approached Beijing, the more anxious the Scholars became. They were about to answer the greatest call of their duties. Soon after their escapade against the pirates, the Phoenix Spirit raised its four large battened masts to sail close-haul in a general northerly direction. The rest of the trip was rather uneventful save for the rare sightings of large sea creatures along the way. Days of continuous sailing led the crew of the Phoenix Spirit near the northern mouth of the Grand Canal. The artificial river was vast and ran along half of the Middle Kingdom’s east coast, and snaked far from the sea as it cut through the thick landscape. It meandered between several towns and cities as well. It first began construction nearly two thousand years ago and underwent a restoration under the administration of the Ming Empire. Not far from the northern entrance of the Grand Canal, the Scholars docked their ship at a private harbor where horses and supplies were provided courtesy of the Hanlin Academy.

  There, they were greeted by representatives from Hanlin who would escort them all the way to the capital. The crew of the Phoenix Spirit stayed with the ship and the core Scholars accompanied by one hundred armed Academicians and a light detachment of soldiers belonging to General He Jin proceeded to ride to Beijing.

  Far into the distance stood the mega metropolis that was the capital of the Middle Kingdom. It stood proud and strong behind mighty fortress walls surrounded by imposing guard towers armed with cannons and scores of soldiers. Small communities and townships surrounded the capital and endless waves of people made their way in and out of the city. Security at the gate had become heavy and the presence of troops lined the roads leading to the gates. It was but the Hanlin Academician and the banner of General He Jin that allowed the League of Scholars to enter the city without fret.

  “It was wise of us to not have taken the route of the Grand Canal,” whispered Shang Jian to the others as he observed the security. “The hassle of all the checkpoints would have led to many unwanted delays.”

  Beijing was grand, being the capital city after all, and as such featu
red a very bureaucratic infrastructure. Its streets were endless and the buildings were innumerable, but for all its size and grandeur, it lacked the Southern cultural charms of Guangzhou. The entourage plowed through the thick crowds which parted to make way. Curious onlookers from second story balconies waved hand fans and kerchiefs.

  After completing the arduous task of navigating the busy and often dusty city streets, the Scholars arrived at the headquarters of Hanlin Academy where they were promptly received by Chancellor Wu Chan who was evidently relieved with their arrival.

  “It is a great pleasure to receive the League of Martial Scholars, Headmaster Lu,” said Wu Chan with a salute. “Your timing is impeccable because I believe our great civilization has just entered a crisis.”

  “That is why we have emerged from the shadows to liberate our nation from the clutches meddling barbarian foreigners,” affirmed Lu Guanying. After the formalities and greetings, the Scholars of both schools assembled to discuss matters concerning the Ming and its relations with the pale foreigners who have been discovered to have called themselves “Terukk”. Their presence had already become quite apparent in the capital as they have been seen frequenting government headquarters and paying their ceremonial respects to the authorities. To the dismay of the Scholars, the Terukk have already installed outposts and settlements outside the city walls and at the mouth of the Grand Canal. Though their numbers were quite few, their presence was strongly felt as they carried themselves with arrogance and evident overconfidence. The Terukk have been seen frequenting the gates of the palace conducting business with the palace officials to investigate terms of trade and political relations.

  “Though in light of recent events, evidence gathered by those within and outside the inner circle of the Hanlin Scholarship showed that colonization and indirect conquest is what truly lay at the heart of their agenda,” Wu Chan expressed.