The Legend of the Condor Heroes Chapter 11 – Part 5

When Qiu Chuji¹ and Peng Lianhu² heard Zhu Cong³ calling out, they were both puzzled, and thought, How are we suddenly all on the same side? Seeing the two coming, they broke apart, wanting to hear just how they were all on the same side.

Zhu Cong said to Peng Lianhu with a smile, “Eighteen years ago the Seven Eccentrics of Jiangnan⁴ fell out with Qiu Chuji, the Changchunzi.⁵ Five of us brothers were wounded by the Changchunzi, and Daoist Elder Qiu, whose name shakes the wulin, was left more dead than alive by us. That feud is still unsettled to this day…” He turned to Qiu Chuji. “Daoist Elder Qiu, isn’t that so?” Qiu Chuji’s fury flared, and he thought, So, you mean to strike while I’m down. He shouted, “That is so. What will you do about it?”

Zhu Cong continued, “But we also have a small score with Dragon King Sha.⁶ A good-for-nothing disciple of the Seven Eccentrics of Jiangnan beat Dragon King Sha’s four fine pupils single-handed. I hear Chief Peng and Dragon King Sha are friends who would die for each other, so in offending Dragon King Sha we have offended Chief Peng as well.” Peng Lianhu sneered, “I wouldn’t presume.” Zhu Cong said with a grin, “Since Chief Peng and Daoist Elder Qiu both have a feud with the Seven Eccentrics of Jiangnan, your two sides share a common foe. Doesn’t that put you on the same side? Ha ha, why go on fighting? And then aren’t Chief Peng and I on the same side too? Come, let’s be friends.” He held out his hand to clasp Peng’s.

Peng Lianhu listened to this mad babble and thought, The Quanzhen Order rescued the Eccentrics’ disciple, so they are plainly all one gang. I won’t fall for your trick. If you want to cheat me out of the antidote, you’ll find it harder than hard. Zhu Cong reaching to clasp his hand suited him perfectly. He laughed. “Splendid, splendid!” He put the Judge’s Brush back in his belt and slipped the Poison Needle Ring on again.

Qiu Chuji cried in alarm, “Brother Zhu, careful.” Zhu Cong seemed not to hear. He held out his hand, crooked his little finger, and had already hooked the Poison Needle Ring off Peng Lianhu’s finger. Peng Lianhu was none the wiser. Their palms met, and both men squeezed hard. Peng Lianhu felt a faint sting in his palm. He tore free at once and leapt back, raising his hand to look. Three puncture wounds had already appeared in his palm, the holes far larger than his own poisoned needles would have made. Black blood seeped from the wounds. His palm tingled with a numb itch that felt strangely pleasant, but carried no pain. He knew that the deadlier the poison, the less it hurt, for the wound went numb at once and all sensation fled. Shocked and furious, he could not fathom how he had been done in. He looked up and saw Zhu Cong grinning behind Qiu Chuji, holding the Poison Needle Ring between two fingers of his left hand, while two fingers of his right pinched a heavy, black, caltrop-shaped thing, its sharp points stained with blood.

Zhu Cong,⁷ whose title was the Swift-Handed Scholar, had hands so uncanny that no one could fathom them. To pull the Poison Needle Ring from Peng Lianhu’s hand and stab his palm with a poisoned caltrop was, for him, a trifling trick.

Peng Lianhu was consumed with rage and hurled himself forward. Qiu Chuji thrust out his jian to block and demanded, “What do you think you are doing?”

Zhu Cong said with a laugh, “Chief Peng,⁸ this poisoned caltrop is my Big Brother’s own special hidden weapon. Once you’re struck, Chief Peng, call yourself ‘Lianhu’, Linked Tigers, all you like. You could be linked to lions and leopards, pigs and dogs, to every beast under heaven, and you still wouldn’t live two shichen.⁹” Hou Tonghai said, “Big Brother Peng, he’s insulting you.” Sha Tongtian¹⁰ snapped, “Hold your tongue. Do you think Big Brother Peng doesn’t know?” Zhu Cong went on with a grin, “Luckily Chief Peng has a thousand hands. My honest advice is to cut off that one. You’ll still have nine hundred and ninety-nine left. Only, you’ll have to change your epithet to ‘Butcher of Nine Hundred and Ninety-Nine Hands’.”

By now Peng Lianhu’s wrist had gone numb as well. Fear gripped him. He paid no heed to the taunts, but cold sweat beaded his forehead.

Zhu Cong continued, “You have your poisoned needles and I have my poisoned caltrops. The poisons differ and the antidotes differ too. If you can’t bear to part with your epithet ‘Butcher of a Thousand Hands’, well, we’re all on the same side anyway. Why don’t the two of us be friends and make a swap?” Before Peng Lianhu could answer, Sha Tongtian cut in, “Good, that’s how it’ll be. Hand over the antidote.” Zhu Cong said, “Big Brother, give it to him.” Ke Zhen’e¹¹ fished two small packets of medicine from his robe, and Zhu Cong took them and held them out. Qiu Chuji said, “Brother Zhu, don’t be taken in. Make him hand his over first.” Zhu Cong laughed, “A man’s word is his bond. I am not afraid he will refuse.”

Peng Lianhu reached into his robe with his left hand and felt around. His face changed. He said in a low voice, “Damn. The antidote is gone.” Qiu Chuji flew into a rage and shouted, “Hmph, still playing tricks! Brother Zhu, don’t give it to him.” Zhu Cong laughed. “Take it! With us, a junzi’s word¹² flies as fast as the whip on a good horse. Say it, and it’s given. The Seven Zis of Quanzhen¹³ and the Seven Eccentrics of Jiangnan keep their word.”

Sha Tongtian was afraid of falling foul of Zhu Cong’s uncanny empty-handed thievery again and did not dare reach out to take the packets. He laid his iron oar across and extended it towards them. Zhu Cong placed the antidote on the oar, and Sha Tongtian drew it back to take the packets. The onlookers could not understand why Zhu Cong freely handed over the antidote yet did not demand the other side’s medicine in return. Sha Tongtian suspected the medicine was not genuine, and said, “The Seven Xias of Jiangnan are famous names. You would not use fake medicine to harm a man?”

Zhu Cong said with a laugh, “What an idea, what an idea.” He returned the poisoned caltrop to Ke Zhen’e, then slowly drew one thing after another from his robe: a sweat-cloth, some coin-bolts, a few lumps of broken silver, and a white snuff bottle. Peng Lianhu stared, dumbfounded, and thought, Those are all my things. How did they end up on him? While his right hand was clasping Peng’s, Zhu Cong’s left had quietly swept Peng’s robe clean. Zhu Cong pulled the stopper from the snuff bottle and saw it was divided into two compartments, one holding red powder, the other grey. He asked, “How are they used?”

Peng Lianhu was a ruthless man, but with his life hanging by a thread, he dared not play any more tricks. He answered truthfully, “The red is taken internally. The grey is applied externally.” Zhu Cong said to Guo Jing,¹⁴ “Quick, fetch water. Two bowls.”

Guo Jing ran into the inn and brought out two bowls of clean water. He gave one to Ma Yu¹⁵ and helped him take the red powder, then applied the grey powder to the wounds on his palm. He took the other bowl to hand to Peng Lianhu. Zhu Cong said, “Wait. Give it to Daoist Elder Wang.” Guo Jing was startled, but did as he was told and handed it to Wang Chuyi.¹⁶ Wang Chuyi did not understand, but took the bowl.

Sha Tongtian called out, “Hey, how do we use your two packets?” Zhu Cong said, “Wait a moment. Do not be impatient. Nobody will die in a trice.” He fished more than a dozen packets from his robe. Guo Jing was overjoyed at the sight and cried, “Yes, yes, this is Daoist Elder Wang’s medicine.” He opened the packets one by one, held them out before Wang Chuyi, and said, “Daoist Elder, which of these will serve? Choose for yourself.” Wang Chuyi knew his herbs. He picked out five, notoginseng and dragon’s blood among them, chewed them a while, and washed them down with the water.

Liang Ziweng¹⁷ was at once furious and admiring. He thought, This filthy scholar’s hands are truly extraordinary. He reached out to brush the dust off my sleeve, and stole every medicine in my robe. He turned, raised his herb hoe, and shouted, “Come, come, come. Let us settle this with weapons!” Zhu Cong said with a laugh, “Ah, that. At that I’m no match for you at all.”

Qiu Chuji said, “This is Chief Peng Lianhu. I have yet to ask the names of the rest of you.” Sha Tongtian rasped out their names one by one. Qiu Chuji cried, “Well now, every one of you a famous name. Today’s contest is undecided, but both sides have men injured. It seems we must arrange another meeting.” Peng Lianhu said, “Nothing could be better. If we never met the Seven Zis of Quanzhen, we would die with our eyes open. Name the day and place, Daoist Elder Qiu.” Qiu Chuji thought, Shixiong Ma and Shidi Wang are both badly poisoned, and it will be months before they are fully recovered. Shixiong Tan, Shixiong Liu and the others are scattered far and wide, and there is no time to send word to them. He said, “Half a year from now, on the Mid-Autumn Festival, we shall admire the moon and compare martial arts. What do you say, Chief Peng?”

Peng Lianhu reckoned to himself, If all Seven Zis of Quanzhen come, and the Seven Eccentrics of Jiangnan with them, we’ll be badly outnumbered. We must find more help. Half a year gives us just about time. Prince Zhao wants us to go to Jiangnan and steal the writings Yue Fei left behind, so we may as well meet down there. He said, “Meeting friends over martial arts at the Mid-Autumn Festival. Daoist Elder Qiu is a man of true refinement. Then we must find a refined setting for it. Let it be in the hometown of the Seven Xias of Jiangnan.” Qiu Chuji said, “Excellent, excellent. Let us meet at the Misty Rain Pavilion¹⁸ on South Lake in Jiaxing Prefecture. You are all welcome to bring more friends.” Peng Lianhu said, “Done, then. So be it.”

Zhu Cong said, “In that case, we Seven Eccentrics are the local snakes and must foot the bill. Your two sides have both done your sums very shrewdly. Of all the places in the world, you had to pick Jiaxing, just so you could eat and drink at the Seven Eccentrics’ expense. Very well, very well. Since you honour us with your presence, we can still afford to play host. Chief Peng, of your two packets, the white powder is taken internally and the yellow is applied externally.” By now Peng Lianhu’s arm was half numb. His earlier exchange with Qiu Chuji had been sustained by sheer willpower. Zhu Cong’s endless chatter filled him with fury, but with his life in others’ hands, he dared not utter a single disrespectful word. When at last he heard that final sentence, he hastily swallowed the white powder. Ke Zhen’e said coldly, “Chief Peng, for seven times seven, forty-nine days, you must drink no wine and go near no women. Otherwise, come the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Misty Rain Pavilion will be short of Chief Peng, and that would spoil everyone’s fun.” Peng Lianhu said angrily, “Many thanks for your concern.” Sha Tongtian applied the antidote to his palm wounds and supported him as they turned and left.

Wanyan Kang¹⁹ knelt on the ground and kowtowed four times to his mother’s body. He turned and bowed several times to Qiu Chuji, then walked away without a word, his head held high. Qiu Chuji shouted harshly, “Kang-er, what is the meaning of this?” Wanyan Kang did not answer. He did not leave with Peng Lianhu and the others, but turned the corner of the street and was gone.

Qiu Chuji stood lost in thought for a moment, then bowed to Ke Zhen’e, Zhu Cong and the others. He said, “Had the Six Xias not come to our rescue today, we three brothers would have lost our lives. And besides, this wicked disciple of mine is so vile in character that he falls far, far short of your worthy disciple. For those of us who study the martial arts, conduct and heart come first, and skill is the least of it. That I should take such a disciple shames me beyond words. Our appointment for the contest at the Drunken Immortal Wineshop²⁰ in Jiaxing is settled as of today. This humble Daoist willingly concedes defeat, and will spread word through the jianghu²¹ that Qiu Chuji was utterly beaten by the Seven Xias of Jiangnan and submits with all his heart. My shixiong Ma and my shidi Wang are here, and both are witnesses.”

The Six Eccentrics of Jiangnan heard his words and were deeply delighted. They felt that the eighteen years spent in the desert had at last borne proper fruit. Ke Zhen’e offered a few modest words. But then the Six Eccentrics thought of Zhang Asheng, who had died in the desert, and their hearts grew heavy. What a pity he could not hear Qiu Chuji concede defeat with his own ears. Han Xiaoying²² told Guo Jing in a low voice that there was no need to keep the appointment at the Drunken Immortal Wineshop in Jiaxing on the twenty-fourth of the third month.

They helped Ma Yu and Wang Chuyi into the inn. Quan Jinfa²³ went out to buy coffins and arrange the funeral of Yang Tiexin²⁴ and his wife. Qiu Chuji saw Mu Nianci²⁵ weeping bitterly. His heart ached, and he asked, “Miss, how has your father lived these past years?”

Mu Nianci wiped her tears. “For more than ten years, Father took me from place to place. We never stayed anywhere for as long as ten days or half a month. Father said he was searching for a certain… a certain Big Brother surnamed Guo…” Her voice faded and she slowly lowered her head.

Qiu Chuji glanced at Guo Jing. “Hmm. And how did your father come to take you in?” Mu Nianci said, “I am from Lotus Pond Village in Lin’an Prefecture.²⁶ More than ten years ago, Father was injured and sheltered in my family’s home. Not long after, my birth parents and my older brother all died of the plague. This father of mine took me in as his daughter and later taught me martial arts. Because he was searching for Big Brother Guo, we travelled everywhere and put up the… put up the ‘Martial Contest… to Choose a Spouse’ banner.” Qiu Chuji said, “That explains it. Your father’s surname is not Mu. It is Yang. You should change your surname to Yang.” Mu Nianci said, “No. I will not be surnamed Yang. I will remain surnamed Mu.” Qiu Chuji said, “Why? Do you not believe me?” Mu Nianci said in a low voice, “How would I dare not believe? But I would rather be surnamed Mu.” Qiu Chuji saw her stubbornness and let the matter rest, assuming that a young woman grieving her father could not think clearly in her distress. He did not know that it was he who could not think clearly.

Footnotes

1. 丘处机 — Qiū Chǔjī. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

2. 彭连虎 — Péng Liánhǔ. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

3. 朱聪 — Zhū Cōng. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

4. 江南七怪 — Jiāngnán Qī Guài. Literally seven eccentrics of Jiangnan. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

5. 长春子 — Chángchūnzǐ. Literally master of eternal spring. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

6. 沙龙王 — Shā Lóngwáng. Literally Dragon King Sha. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

7. 妙手书生 — Miàoshǒu Shūshēng. Literally wondrous-handed scholar. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

8. 寨主 — zhàizhǔ. Literally master of the stronghold. The chief of a fortified stronghold or bandit settlement, used as a title of address. ↩

9. 时辰 — shíchén. Traditional Chinese unit of time equal to two hours; the day was divided into twelve shichen. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

10. 沙通天 — Shā Tōngtiān. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

11. 柯镇恶 — Kē Zhèn’è. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

12. 君子 — jūnzǐ. Literally noble man. The Confucian ideal of the morally cultivated man. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

13. 全真七子 — Quánzhēn Qīzǐ. Literally the seven zi of Quanzhen, zi being an honorific for a master. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

14. 郭靖 — Guō Jìng. His name meaning “to pacify”; paired with Yang Kang’s 康 it recalls the Jingkang Shame of 1127. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

15. 马钰 — Mǎ Yù. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

16. 王处一 — Wáng Chǔyī. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

17. 梁子翁 — Liáng Zǐwēng. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

18. 烟雨楼 — Yānyǔ Lóu. Misty Rain Pavilion, on South Lake in Jiaxing. ↩

19. 完颜康 — Wányán Kāng. See Wuxia Wiki (spoiler). ↩

20. 醉仙楼 — Zuìxiān Lóu. The Drunken Immortal Wineshop, on the shore of South Lake in Jiaxing. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

21. 江湖 — jiānghú. Literally rivers and lakes. The world of martial artists, outside mainstream society. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

22. 韩小莹 — Hán Xiǎoyíng. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

23. 全金发 — Quán Jīnfā. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

24. 杨铁心 — Yáng Tiěxīn. His name meaning “iron heart”. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

25. 穆念慈 — Mù Niàncí. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

26. 荷塘村 — Hétáng Cūn. Literally lotus pond village. A village some fifteen li from Niu Family Village. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩