Hu Guinan (simplified: 胡桂南, traditional: 胡桂南, pinyin: Hú Guīnán, jyutping: wu4 gwai3 naam4), known as the Divine Thief (圣手神偷 — Shèngshǒu Shéntōu), was an expert thief who became one of Yuan Chengzhi’s allies in Sword Stained with Royal Blood. He was known for his exceptional thieving skills and his ability to steal items without being detected.
Biography
Early life and reputation
Hu Guinan was a skilled thief who had earned the epithet “Divine Thief” (圣手神偷 — Shèngshǒu Shéntōu) due to his exceptional abilities. His thieving skills were so refined that he could steal items without being noticed, making him one of the most capable thieves in the jianghu.
Meeting Yuan Chengzhi
Hu Guinan first encountered Yuan Chengzhi at the Gaoyang Yuelai Inn (高阳悦来客店 — Gāoyáng Yuèlái Kèdiàn), which was located about a day’s journey from Baoding Prefecture (保定府 — Bǎodìng Fǔ). At the inn, Hu Guinan’s wine cup was knocked over by Tie Luohan (铁罗汉), a monk who was also staying there.
In response, Hu Guinan used his thieving skills to play a prank on Tie Luohan, somehow obtaining a chamber pot (夜壶 — yèhú) and using it to embarrass the monk. This led to a confrontation between the two, and they began fighting.
Yuan Chengzhi, who was also at the inn, intervened to stop the fight and saved both men’s lives. In gratitude for being saved, Hu Guinan presented Yuan Chengzhi with a precious treasure: the Crimson-Eyed Ice Toad (朱睛冰蟾 — Zhūjīng Bīngchán), a rare medicinal treasure from the snowy mountains of the Western Regions.
The Crimson-Eyed Ice Toad
The Crimson-Eyed Ice Toad was an extremely valuable medicinal treasure. According to Hu Guinan, it could heal any internal injury or blade wound as long as the person was not already dead. It was also effective against poisons, as the toad would absorb the poison, turning from white to grey to black. The poison could then be extracted by soaking the toad in wine.
Hu Guinan had obtained this treasure from an old Daoist herb gatherer whom he had helped by providing medical care. When the old Daoist was dying, he gave the ice toad to Hu Guinan as a gift, originally intended to be presented to Meng Bofei (孟伯飞) as a birthday gift. However, Hu Guinan gave it to Yuan Chengzhi as a token of gratitude for saving his life.
Assisting Yuan Chengzhi
Hu Guinan became one of Yuan Chengzhi’s loyal allies and used his thieving skills to assist Yuan Chengzhi in various operations. His expertise proved valuable in several key situations:
Stealing the Golden Snake Sword
When Yuzhenzi had stolen the Golden Snake Sword from Yuan Chengzhi, Hu Guinan helped Yuan Chengzhi retrieve it. Together, they went to Yuzhenzi’s location, where Hu Guinan used his thieving skills to steal back the Golden Snake Sword and also stole Yuzhenzi’s clothes, helping Yuan Chengzhi gain an advantage in their confrontation.
Exposing the Poria and Shouwu Pills scheme
At Meng Bofei’s residence in Baoding Prefecture, the Yong Sheng Escort Bureau (永胜镖局 — Yǒngshèng Biāojú) had hidden the Poria and Shouwu Pills (茯苓首乌丸 — Fúlíng Shǒuwū Wán) inside a birthday peach. Hu Guinan used his skills to expose this scheme, revealing the hidden pills and helping to resolve the conflict between Yuan Chengzhi and his senior martial brother Gui Xinshu.
Stealing firearms
During a confrontation between two Westerners, Lei Meng (雷蒙) and Peter (彼得), who were demonstrating their swordsmanship, Yuan Chengzhi intervened to save Peter. While the attention was focused on the fight, Hu Guinan used his thieving skills to steal three firearms from the two Westerners, demonstrating his ability to take advantage of distractions.
Sabotaging cannons
When Yuan Chengzhi and his allies needed to sabotage Western cannons (红夷大炮 — Hóngyí Dàpào) that were being transported to the Ming army, Hu Guinan proposed a strategy to wet the gunpowder and dig pits to trap the cannons. This plan was highly successful, and Hu Guinan’s contribution was recognised as crucial to the operation’s success. After this mission, the other heroes no longer looked down on Hu Guinan for being a thief, recognising his value as an ally.
Encounter with the Five Poisons Order
When the Five Poisons Order (五毒教 — Wǔdú Jiào) attacked Yuan Chengzhi and his allies, with He Tieshou (何铁手) engaging Yuan Chengzhi while the order’s members surrounded the others, Hu Guinan was the first to detect the enemy’s presence. However, despite this early warning, the group was overwhelmed, and Xia Qingqing was captured by the Five Poisons Order.
Later adventures
Hu Guinan continued to accompany Yuan Chengzhi on his adventures, including the expedition to reclaim an island near Brunei that had been colonised by the Dutch. He remained a loyal ally throughout their journey.
Personality and character
Hu Guinan was characterised by his exceptional thieving skills and his loyalty to Yuan Chengzhi. Despite being a thief, he demonstrated a sense of honour and gratitude, as shown by his willingness to give up the valuable Crimson-Eyed Ice Toad to repay Yuan Chengzhi for saving his life.
His ability to use his thieving skills for good causes, such as retrieving the Golden Snake Sword and sabotaging the cannons, showed that he was not simply a criminal but someone who could use his abilities to support righteous causes.
Hu Guinan’s quick thinking and ability to take advantage of opportunities demonstrated his intelligence and resourcefulness. His contributions to various operations showed that even those with unconventional backgrounds could be valuable allies.
Martial arts
Hu Guinan’s primary skill was his exceptional thieving ability, which he had developed to an extremely high level. His techniques allowed him to:
- Steal items without being detected
- Move silently and quickly
- Take advantage of distractions to steal items
- Use his skills to assist in various operations
Techniques
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Thieving skills — Hu Guinan’s exceptional ability to steal items without being noticed, which he used both for personal gain and to assist Yuan Chengzhi.
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Climbing and stealth — His ability to move silently and climb walls, though his climbing posture was described as somewhat awkward, resembling a turtle, but completely silent.
Relationships
Allies
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Yuan Chengzhi — The protagonist of Sword Stained with Royal Blood, whom Hu Guinan served as a loyal ally. Hu Guinan’s thieving skills proved valuable in several key operations.
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Other allies — Hu Guinan worked alongside other heroes who supported Yuan Chengzhi, including Sha Tianguang, Cheng Qingzhu, and others.
Legacy
Hu Guinan’s story represented the idea that people from unconventional backgrounds, even thieves, could be valuable allies and contribute to righteous causes. His transformation from someone who might have been looked down upon to a respected member of Yuan Chengzhi’s group demonstrated the importance of recognising people’s abilities and contributions regardless of their background.
His character exemplified the values of loyalty, gratitude, and resourcefulness, showing how individual skills, even those associated with criminal activities, could be used for good purposes. Hu Guinan’s story highlighted the complexity of jianghu morality, where the line between right and wrong was not always clear, and where people’s actions and intentions mattered more than their backgrounds.
Hu Guinan’s contributions to various operations, particularly his role in sabotaging the cannons, demonstrated that everyone had something valuable to contribute, and that unity and cooperation were essential for achieving common goals.