by Jin Yong
Everybody voiced their agreement at once. However, speaking of revenge, each sect’s opinion differed with one another; it was difficult to reach decision. Finally Kong Wen said, "We cannot decide on this matter, let us take a rest for several days, and then separately go back to our places. Someday when we are ready to launch a large attack of vengeance, then we will slowly talk it over.” Everybody nodded their heads in approval.
Zhang Wuji said, "Now that this important matter is done, I have some personal business I have to attend; I need to return to Dadou. Hereby I bid everybody farewell. Later on we will work hand in hand, fighting the Tartars to the death together.”
Everybody raised their voices together, "We will work hand in hand, fighting the Tartars to the death together.” Their shouts shook the sky, the valley reverberated with their cry; and then they send Zhang Wuji off to the mouth of the valley. Zhang Wuji raised his hands in salute and said goodbye.
"Jiaozhu,” Yang Xiao said, "The heroes of the world look up on you; you have to take a really good care of yourself in everything.”
"Xiongdi [brother] will remember that,” Zhang Wuji said. Mounting his horse he galloped to the south.
Chapter 28 - Broken Kindness, Lost Friendship, Purple Robed King
(Translated by Foxs, Edited by Eliza Bennet)
Suddenly a black light flashed, three weapons were cut down. Among the five people, four were cut off right on their chests, becoming eight pieces, which scattered to all directions, falling off the hill. Only Zheng Zhanglao survived with his right arm cut off, he fell on the ground. They saw Xie Xun’s hand was holding a deep black saber, precisely what was known as 'the most revered in the Wulin world, the Tulong Saber.
When he was nearing the Dadou, Zhang Wuji thought that with the uproar at the Wan An Temple the previous night, a lot of the warriors working for the Prince of Ruyang would certainly recognize his face; hence it would be inconvenient for him to enter the city as he was. Thereupon he stopped by a farmer’s house along the way to buy a set of old peasant clothes. He changed his clothes and wore a bamboo hat; he also blackened his face and hands using some soot and mud before he finally entered the city.
He returned toward the inn he was staying at the western side of the city, but did not enter the inn right away. He went around looking everywhere, and after ensuring that he saw nothing unusual he went into his room quick as a flash.
Xiao Zhao was sitting by the window; her hands were busy with needle and thread. She was startled to see someone enter the room; but her face broke into joyous smile just like a blooming flower in the spring after recognizing him. "Gongzi ye [young master], I thought it was a farmer breaking into the wrong room; turned out it was you,” she said with a laugh.
Zhang Wuji also laughed. "What are you doing?” he asked, "Aren’t you lonely?”
Xiao Zhao blushed; immediately she hid the clothes she was sewing behind her back. "I am learning to sew, but it is so bad,” she said bashfully. Stuffing the clothes underneath her pillow, she rose up to pour some tea for Zhang Wuji. Seeing his black face she laughed and said, "Aren’t you going to wash your face?”
"I put this on purpose,” Zhang Wuji smiled, "I can’t take it out yet.” He took the teacup while pondering in his heart, "Miss Zhao wanted me to come with her fetching the Tulong Saber. As a real man I have to live up to my promise; I can’t break it. Besides, I also want to take Yifu [foster father] to return to the ‘zhong tu’ [mainland, lit. middle/central earth]. Yifu was afraid that he made too many enemies in the ‘zhong yuan’ [Central Plains]; now that he is blind, he won’t be able to deal with them. But right now the warriors of the Wulin world are united to fight the invaders; certainly personal grudges can be resolved. As long as he is with me, nobody will be able to harm a single hair of his head. The wind and the waves of the ocean are dangerous; this child Xiao Zhao cannot come with us. Mmm, I got it. I can ask Miss Zhao to settle Xiao Zhao in the Palace; it is certainly a lot safer than any other places.”
Seeing him suddenly smile, Xiao Zhao asked, "Gongzi, what are you thinking?”
"I am going to a far, far away place,” Zhang Wuji said, "It is not safe to take you along. I am thinking of taking you to a place where you can stay temporarily.”
Xiao Zhao’s face changed. "Gongzi ye,” she said, "I am going with you. Xiao Zhao must attend to your need everyday.”
"This is for your own good,” Zhang Wuji tried to persuade her; "The place I am going is too far and too dangerous. I don’t know when I am coming back.”
Xiao Zhao said, "Inside that cave on the Brightness Peak I had made a resolution; wherever you go, I am going with you. Only if you kill me then you can get rid of me. Am I that disgusting that you do not want to be with me?”
"No, no,” Zhang Wuji said, "You know I like you very much, but I don’t want you to brave an unnecessary danger. As soon as I return, I’ll immediately look for you.”
Xiao Zhao shook her head, "As long as I am with you, I don’t mind any danger. Gongzi, take me
with you!”
Zhang Wuji grasped Xiao Zhao’s hands and said, "Xiao Zhao, I am not going to lie to you; I have made a promise to Miss Zhao that I am going to accompany her overseas. On the ocean, the waves are so high that they reach the sky. I have to go since I don’t have any choice, but for you, what good is it for you to brave this mighty danger?”
Xiao Zhao’s face turned red, "You are going with Miss Zhao, I have more reasons to go with you.” While saying this, she was so worried that tears welled up in her eyes.
"Why do you have more reasons to go with me?” Zhang Wuji asked.
"That Miss Zhao is so evil,” Xiao Zhao said, "Nobody could guess what she is going to do to you. If I am with you, I can look after you.”
Zhang Wuji’s heart was stirred, "Could it be that this young girl have a deep feeling toward me?” he thought in his heart. Hearing the sincerity in her words his heart welled up with gratitude. He smiled and said, "All right, I’ll take you with me. But if you get seasick on the boat, you are not allowed to complain.”
Xiao Zhao was very happy; she gave her promise repeatedly. She said, "If I make you mad and you are not happy with me, you can toss me to the sea to feed the fish!”
Zhang Wuji laughed and said, "How can I bear to part with you?”
Although the two of them had known each other for quite a while, and sometimes had to share the same room due to the inconveniences of traveling, Xiao Zhao had always taken the position of a servant, and Zhang Wuji had never teased her or said anything inappropriate to her. Now that he blurted out, ‘How can I bear to part with you?’ he realized that he had made an indiscreet remark; he could not help blushing and turned his head around to look out the window, yet Xiao Zhao actually sighed and sat by the bed side.
"Why do you sigh?” Zhang Wuji asked.
"Actually, there are many people you cannot bear to part with,” Xiao Zhao replied, "Emei Pai’s Miss Zhou, Ruyang Palace’s Junzhu Niang-niang [princess; ‘niang-niang’ can also mean ‘empress’]; I don’t know how many more. How can you be concerned over a little girl like me?”
Zhang Wuji stood up in front of her and said, "Xiao Zhao, you are always good to me. Do you think I don’t know it? Do you think I am such an ungrateful man that I do not know good from bad?” He said these things with a serious face, showing her his earnestness.
Xiao Zhao was shy and happy at the same time. Lowering her head she said, "I am not asking you to treat me in a special way. As long as you allow me to be with you forever; to be your servant, to take care of you, I will be satisfied. You haven’t slept for the whole night, you must be very tired. Why don’t you lie on the bed and take some rest?” While saying that she lifted the blanket from the bed to let him lie down; and then she returned to her seat by the window, resuming her sewing.
While closing his eyes Zhang Wuji could still hear the occasional clinking noise of the iron chain on her hand; he felt safe and peaceful. Not too long afterwards he
fell sound asleep.
Zhang Wuji slept until dusk. He woke up and ate a bowl of noodles. "Xiao Zhao,” he said, "Let me take you to see Miss Zhao, we can borrow her Yitian Sword to cut the iron shackle on your hands
Unedited Version and feet.”
Two people went out to the street. They saw Mongolian soldiers on horsebacks everywhere. It seemed like the security level was at its highest after the fire at the Ruyang Palace and the big trouble in the Wan An Temple the previous night. As two people heard the hoof beats, they shrank back and hid behind the corner of a house to avoid being seen by the soldiers. They arrived at the small wine shop without taking too much time.
Zhang Wuji took Xiao Zhao and entered in pushing the door open. He saw Zhao Min was drinking wine, she was sitting on the same table as on the previous night. As she saw them she stood up and smiled, "Zhang Gongzi is truly a trustworthy man,” she said.
Zhang Wuji noticed her expression was as usual, as if last night’s trouble had nothing to do with her at all; he mused, "This girl is truly extraordinary; I sent someone to kill her father’s beloved concubine and released the masters of the Six Major Sects whom she painstakingly captured after a meticulous plan. She should be very angry, yet she looks like nothing happened. I wonder how she is going to vent up her anger.”
He saw the table was already set with two sets of chopsticks and cups just like last night. He bowed slightly and took a seat. Xiao Zhao stood a bit farther away, taking the position of a servant.
Zhang Wuji cupped his fists and said, "Miss Zhao, about last night, I offended you a lot. Please forgive me.”
Zhao Min said with a smile, "That Concubine Han of my father was bewitchingly enchanting. I was repugnant. My Mama praised you as a smart and competent man.”
Zhang Wuji was stunned; her reaction was truly beyond his anticipation.
Zhao Min also said, "I am fine with you rescuing those people too. They were not willing to surrender anyway, so what the use of keeping them here? Now that you have rescued them, everybody must be very grateful to you. Currently in the Wulin world of the Central Plains nobody surpasses you in term of power and prestige. Zhang Gongzi, let me offer you a toast!” With a soft laugh she raised her cup.
Right at this moment the door was pushed open and someone came in; it was Fan Yao. He went to Zhang Wuji first to pay his respect; and then he turned toward Zhao Min and bowed respectfully to her. "Junzhu,” he said, "Ku Toutuo is taking his leave from you.”
Zhao Min ignored his greeting; "Ku Dashi,” she said in a cold voice, "You have hidden the truth from me really good. This time Junzhu has stumbled big time.”
Fan Yao stood straight up, he boldly said, "Ku Toutuo’s surname is Fan, first name Yao; the Guangming Youshi [The Right Emissary of the Brightness] of the Ming Cult. Because the royal government is in enmity with the Ming Cult, I entered the Ruyang Palace to spy on the enemy. I have received a lot of Junzhu’s kindness; thereupon I come today to bid you farewell.”
Zhao Min remained to be cold; she said, "If you want to go, just go. What’s the purpose of this propriety?”
"A real man always handles matters in the open,” Fan Yao said, "From this day on, I am Junzhu’s enemy. If I do not let Junzhu know this, I am betraying Junzhu’s kind treatment in the past.”
Zhao Min turned toward Zhang Wuji and asked, "What is it that you have, that each one of your subordinates is willing to die for you?”
To which Zhang Wuji replied, "We are doing it for our country and our people, for chivalry, for loyalty and self-sacrifice. Fan Youshi and I did not know each other, yet we feel like old friends; we are devoted to each other, lifting high this ‘yi4’ [justice/righteousness] character.”
Fan Yao laughed aloud and said, "Jiaozhu’s words truly express what is in subordinate’s heart. Jiaozhu, you have to be really careful; this Junzhu Niang-niang is young, but her heart is cruel and merciless, she is truly an extraordinary woman. You have too kind of a heart; you must never let her swindle you.”
"Yes,” Zhang Wuji replied, "I will not dare to be careless.”
Zhao Min laughed and said, "Ku Dashi, thank you for your compliment.”
Fan Yao turned around to leave the inn. When he walked pass Xiao Zhao, he suddenly stopped dead on his track. His face showed a big shock, as if he suddenly saw a ghost or a demon. "You ... you ...” he stammered.
"What?” Xiao Zhao asked.
Fan Yao stared blankly at her for half a day before he finally said, "No ... it can’t be ... I thought you are someone else.” Heaving a deep sigh he pushed the door and left; his face looked so gloomy. "Looks alike, looks alike,” he softly mumbled.
Zhao Min and Zhang Wuji looked at each other in bewilderment; they wondered to whom Xiao Zhao might look alike.
Suddenly they heard the sound of whistle in the distant; three long and two short whistles, sharp and shrill whistles. Zhang Wuji was startled; he remembered it was the signal of Emei Pai disciple whenever they were trying to contact their fellow martial brothers or sisters. In the Western Region he had met Miejue Shitai and the others, and he heard this exact same signal back then. "Why do the Emei Pai’s disciples return to Dadou [lit. grand capital, the present day Beijing]? Could it be that they are dealing with some enemies?” he pondered in his heart.
"That is Emei Pai’s signal,” Zhao Min said, "Looks like they have an urgent matter. Let us go and take a look, shall we?”
Zhang Wuji was surprised, "How do you know?” he asked.
Zhao Min smiled and said, "In the Western Region I followed them for four days and four nights before I finally managed to capture Miejue Shitai. Why wouldn’t I know?”
"All right, let us go and take a look,” Zhang Wuji said, "Miss Zhao, I have a favor I’d like to ask. Can I borrow your Yitian Sword for a moment?”
Zhao Min laughed. "I have not borrowed the Tulong Saber, you want to borrow the Yitian Sword first. You do have an astute business skill,” she said. Loosening the precious sword from her waist she handed it over to him.
Zhang Wuji took the sword. Drawing the sword from its sheath he called, "Xiao Zhao, come over here.”
Xiao Zhao walked over. Zhang Wuji brandished the Sword; with some light ‘swish, swish, swish’ sounds the iron chain on Xiao Zhao’s hands and feet fell clanking down on the ground.
Xiao Zhao bowed down and said, "Many thanks Gongzi, many thanks Junzhu.”
Zhao Min smiled. "What a beautiful young girl,” she said, "Your Jiaozhu must be very fond of you.”
Xiao Zhao blushed profusely; but her eyes sparkled with joy.
Zhang Wuji returned the sword into its sheathe and handed it back to Zhao Min. He heard the Emei Pai’s signal sound was moving toward the northeast. "Let’s go,” he said.
Zhao Min fished out a silver coin from her pocket and threw it on the table; then she dashed out of the inn.
Zhang Wuji was afraid Xiao Zhao could not keep up; he pulled her hand with his right hand, while with his left he pushed her waist, keeping a distance between their bodies. They followed Zhao Min closely. But after only a dozen of ‘zhang’s or so, he felt Xiao Zhao’s body was very light; her footsteps were also very fast. He felt strange, so he took away the strength from his hands; yet Xiao Zhao was still able to run side-by-side with him, she did not show any sign of lagging behind at all. Zhang Wuji did not utilize his ‘qing gong’ [lightness skill] to the fullest, but his feet were moving very fast; yet to his surprise Xiao Zhao was able to match his speed.
In an instant Zhao Min had already crossed several desolate alleys and arrived at an empty yard enclosed in a partly collapsed wall. Zhang Wuji heard a faint noise of some women arguing inside the enclosure. Knowing that the Emei Pai’s disciples were on the yard, he pulled Xiao Zhao’s hand and took her crouching behind the wall, silently hiding in the darkness. He noticed long grass everywhere on the yard; it seemed like it was an abandoned garden. Zhao Min followed them hiding in the grass.
There was a broken down pavilion on the nort
h corner of the garden; in this pavilion there were about twenty or so shadows of people sitting or standing. One female voice was heard, "You are our school’s youngest disciple; based on either in knowledge or martial arts, you are still unworthy to be our Sect Leader ...”
Zhang Wuji recognized this voice as belonged to Ding Minjun. He crawled among the thick patch of long grass toward within a few ‘zhang’s of the pavilion to get a better view. That night the starlight was dim, all he could see was dark shadows. Focusing his attention, he could see there were male and female shadows in the pavilion; they were all Emei Pai’s disciples. Other than Ding Minjun, it looked like the rest of Miejue Shitai’s senior disciples were all present. To the left stood a slender woman with her dark green long skirt reaching the ground, it was Zhou Zhiruo. Hearing Ding Minjun talked nonstop with an excited voice, ‘You said this, you said that ...’ Zhou Zhiruo calmly said, "What Ding Shijie [martial (older) sister] said was right; Xiao Mei [little/young sister] is the youngest disciple of our school. Whether in term of qualifications and records of service, martial arts, talent, or personal character, none is sufficient to qualify me as the Sect Leader. When Shifu assigned this heavy responsibility to me, Xiao Mei has repeatedly declined wholeheartedly; but Xian Shi [late/departed teacher] was severely adamant, telling Xiao Mei to make a heavy oath that I will not fail to follow Shifu’s injunction.”
Jing Xuan, a senior Emei disciple said, "Shifu was very wise; if she appointed Zhou Shimei [martial (younger) sister] to be our next Sect Leader, then she must have had a profound meaning. All of us have received Shifu’s kindness. It is just proper for us to receive and obey her will by supporting Zhou Shimei with one heart, and thus brighten our Sect’s martial arts’ prestige.”
Ding Minjun laughed coldly and said, "Jing Xuan Shijie said that Shifu must have had a profound meaning; this ‘profound meaning’ was well-said. When we were on the Pagoda, as well as when we were on the ground, didn’t we all hear Ku Toutuo and He Biweng shouting loudly? Who are Zhou Shimei’s parents? Why did Shifu regard her with special fondness? Haven’t you understood?”