The Legend of the Condor Heroes Chapter 27 – Part 2

Yang Kang¹ gripped the green bamboo staff² with both hands, raised it high above his head, and said in a clear voice, “Guild Chief Hong³ was set upon by villains and gravely wounded. His life hung by a thread. This humble one came upon this injustice and could not stand by. I hid him in the cellar of my house and fooled the villains, then at once called in famous physicians to treat him with every care. But his wounds were too grave, and he could not be saved.” A great sighing went up among the beggars.

Yang Kang paused, then continued, “As he lay dying, Guild Chief Hong handed this bamboo staff to me and charged me with the heavy duty of succeeding him as nineteenth Guild Chief.”

At these words a stir ran through every beggar there. Not one of them had dreamed that the heavy charge of Guild Chief of the Beggars’ Guild⁴ would be entrusted to a young man who looked every inch a pampered young master.

Yang Kang had come by the green bamboo staff by chance in Silly Girl’s⁵ shop in Niu Family Village, Lin’an,⁶ and found that the fat beggar and the thin one treated him with extraordinary deference. Privately astonished, he let nothing slip to the pair on the road, but worked round the subject from afar and probed obliquely to worm out the history of the staff. Seeing the staff in his hand, the two beggars answered every question, telling all they knew and holding nothing back. So before they had even reached Yuezhou⁷ he had learned six or seven parts in ten of the Guild’s inner affairs. Only the secrets that the Guild’s strict rules forbade telling an outsider he did not know to ask about, and the two beggars naturally did not raise them.

The Beggars’ Guild, he reflected, was mighty, and its Guild Chief held immense power. Hong Qigong was dead, and dead men tell no tales. In for a penny, in for a pound: he would seize the chance, claim the chiefship for himself, and then the Guild’s tens of thousands of brothers would be his to command. He went over it carefully and could find no flaw in the plan. So he had concocted a string of lies, and now, before the great assembly, he was passing off a false dying command of Hong Qigong’s to make himself Guild Chief.

He held forth before several hundred of the Guild’s men of valour without a blush and without a stumble. He knew full well that if the lie came out, the beggars would most likely beat him to a pulp on the spot. But whoever achieved great things, he told himself, had always had to run great risks, and besides, Hong Qigong was dead, the green bamboo staff was in his hand, and Guo Jing and Huang Rong⁸ were taken. The danger was really not so very great, while once he was Guild Chief the gains would be beyond counting, and the Guild’s tens of thousands could serve one day as stepping-stones to “boundless wealth and honour”.

As they listened to Yang Kang, the faces of Jian, Peng and Liang, the three elders of the Clean Clothes Faction,⁹ lit up with pleasure.

The Beggars’ Guild had always been split into two factions, the Clean Clothes and the Dirty Clothes.¹⁰ Apart from wearing the patched beggar’s garb, the Clean Clothes men lived like anyone else in their daily lives, and might eat fish and meat in plenty, marry wives and take concubines. These men had originally been men of valour of the jianghu¹¹ who admired the Guild’s chivalrous conduct, or sought the Guild as a backer, or entered it through friendship with its disciples. They were not, in truth, beggars at all.

The Dirty Clothes Faction, by contrast, truly lived by begging. They kept to strict rules: they might not use silver or coin to make purchases, they might not eat at the same table as outsiders, and they might not fight with men who knew no martial arts. Each faction clung to its own way, and the quarrel never ended. To show himself fair and impartial, Hong Qigong wore clean clothes one year and filthy ones the next, turn and turn about, favouring neither side.

In truth, going about in rags and begging was the original and proper calling of the Guild. But Hong Qigong loved his food and drink, and to fill his belly with nothing but cold leftovers begged from strangers was more than he could manage, so he himself could not keep strictly to the Dirty Clothes rules. Yet among the four great elders, it was Lu Youjiao¹² on whom he relied most. Had Lu Youjiao’s temper not been so violent, and had he not several times spoiled important affairs, Hong Qigong would long ago have named him his successor.

Long before this Yuezhou assembly the Clean Clothes beggars had been uneasy. Whoever succeeded as Guild Chief, they reckoned, would nine times out of ten be Lu Youjiao, for virtue, martial prowess and standing alike, and he was the one Guild Chief Hong valued most. Moreover, although three of the four great elders belonged to the Clean Clothes Faction, the rank-and-file disciples were mostly Dirty Clothes. The three Clean Clothes elders had turned over all manner of schemes to counter it, but with Hong Qigong’s authority in mind, none of them dared entertain the least thought of making a move.

Later, when they saw Yang Kang arrive at Yuezhou with the bamboo staff and heard that Hong Qigong was dead, they grieved, to be sure, yet saw in it the very chance to overwhelm the Dirty Clothes Faction. They went out of their way to make Yang Kang welcome, treating him with great deference, and sounded him out about Qigong’s dying command. Yang Kang was very shrewd. Afraid that something might go wrong, he said not a word about the dying command until the assembly itself, and only then announced it.

The three Clean Clothes elders knew well enough that the post was not for them, and they were not disappointed. So long as Lu Youjiao did not become Guild Chief, they had their wish. Yang Kang was young, besides, and they were sure they could bring him round to their way. And a man who dressed so finely and ate so daintily would never lean towards the Dirty Clothes Faction. The three exchanged a glance and each nodded.

Elder Jian¹³ said, “The staff held by this young sir, Yang,¹⁴ is indeed the sacred relic of our Guild. If any brother has doubts, let him come forward and examine it.”

Lu Youjiao cast a sidelong glance at Yang Kang and thought, A whelp like you, fit to be Guild Chief and command our brothers on every route? He reached out and took the staff. It was a gleaming, crystalline green, and it was indeed the staff handed down from Guild Chief to Guild Chief through the generations. He thought, The Guild Chief must have been grateful for this young man’s help in saving him, and so bequeathed it to him. If the old Guild Chief left such a command, how dare we disobey? I shall serve him with a loyal heart, lest the foundation Guild Chief Hong built be brought to ruin. He raised the staff above his head with both hands and returned it to Yang Kang with the deepest respect, saying in a clear voice, “We obey the old Guild Chief’s dying command and acknowledge young sir Yang as the nineteenth Guild Chief of our Guild.”

The beggars cheered as one.

Guo Jing¹⁵ and Huang Rong could neither move nor speak, and inwardly they despaired. Guo Jing thought, Just as Island Master Huang¹⁶ predicted, Yang Kang has dared to claim the chiefship by fraud. This will bring great disaster in time to come. But Huang Rong thought, This wretch will certainly not let the two of us off. We must wait and see what he does, and adapt as the moment demands.

Yang Kang demurred. “I am young and ignorant, without virtue or ability. I dare not assume so weighty a position.”

Elder Peng¹⁷ said, “Such was Guild Chief Hong’s dying command. Young sir Yang need not be so modest. We brothers shall all assist you with one heart. Young sir Yang, set your mind at ease.”

Lu Youjiao said, “Indeed!” He cleared his throat and spat a thick gob of phlegm straight into Yang Kang’s face.

This took Yang Kang wholly by surprise. He did not dodge, and the spittle landed squarely on his right cheek. Aghast, he was about to demand an explanation when Elders Jian, Peng and Liang¹⁸ each spat a mouthful of spittle on him too. Yang Kang thought, I’m done for! The four elders had seen through his plot after all. He was on the point of turning to run. Escape, he knew, was all but impossible, but anything was better than waiting meekly for death. Then he saw the four elders cross their hands on their chests and prostrate themselves before him. Yang Kang gaped in bewilderment and for a moment could not say a word.

Then, in order of seniority, the beggars came up one by one, spat on him, and performed the Guild’s great rite of obeisance. Torn between alarm and delight, Yang Kang thought in wonder, Can spitting at me really count as respect? He did not know the Guild’s age-old rule that a new Guild Chief must be spat upon at his installation. Beggars roam the land begging and bear the scorn of all the world, and so the head of the beggars must first bear the insults of his own followers. There was a deep meaning in it.

Huang Rong suddenly recalled that on Mingxia Island,¹⁹ when Hong Qigong passed the chiefship to her, he had spat a gob of phlegm on the corner of her robe. At the time she had thought that, badly hurt as he was, he had simply been too weak to spit properly, never dreaming it was the rite for installing a Guild Chief. She remembered that Hong Qigong had said that day, “When the beggars come to present themselves to you formally one day, there’s bound to be one more filthy business. Ah, that will be hard on you.” Only now did she understand that her shifu,²⁰ afraid she would find it too dirty and refuse the chiefship, had kept it from her.

It was a long while before the beggars had all paid their respects. Then they cried as one, “Guild Chief Yang, please ascend the Xuanyuan Terrace!”²¹

Seeing that the platform was not very high, Yang Kang decided to show off. He pushed off with both feet and flew up onto it, nimble and lovely to watch. Fine as the leap was, though, each of the four great elders had a pure and deep mastery of his own art, and all of them could see that his skill was showy and hollow and his foundation still shallow. Still, for one so young to have such ability, he had plainly been taught by a master, and that in itself was rare enough.

Standing on the Xuanyuan Terrace, Yang Kang said in a ringing voice, “Though the chief villain who brought about the old Guild Chief’s death has not yet been brought to justice, the two accomplices have already been captured by me.” The beggars were again thrown into an uproar and cried out, “Where are they? Where are they?” “Bring them here and hack them to pieces.” “Don’t kill them with one stroke. Make the curs suffer bit by bit.”

Guo Jing thought, So he’s caught some accomplices too? I’d like to see them.

Yang Kang said harshly, “Bring them to the front of the platform!”

Elder Peng sped over to where Guo Jing and Huang Rong lay, picked up one in each hand, carried them to the front of the platform and flung them down hard. Only then did Guo Jing understand, and he cursed inwardly, You little swine, so it’s us you mean.

Lu Youjiao saw that the pair were Guo Jing and Huang Rong and was greatly startled. He said at once, “May it please the Guild Chief, these two are the old Guild Chief’s own disciples. How could they harm their own shifu?”

Yang Kang said with bitter hatred, “That is just what makes it so hateful. These two have betrayed their shifu and dishonoured their lineage. Their crime is beyond measure.”

Elder Peng said, “Guild Chief Yang saw it with his own eyes. How could there be any mistake?”

Among the beggars, Li Sheng²² and Yu Zhaoxing²³ had helped Cheng Yaojia in Baoying County, where they had nearly been killed by Ouyang Ke²⁴ before Guo Jing and Huang Rong came to their rescue. They were both grateful to the pair and full of admiration for them, and they knew too how fond Hong Qigong was of these two disciples. At once they pushed forward out of the crowd.

Li Sheng cried, “May it please the Guild Chief, these two are chivalrous heroes. This humble servant stakes his life on it. The old Guild Chief’s death has nothing to do with them.”

Yu Zhaoxing cried, “These two are good people, the best friends a man could have.”

Elder Liang glared and barked, “Anything you have to say, let your elder say it. Is this a place for you to butt in?” Li Sheng and Yu Zhaoxing belonged to the Dirty Clothes Faction, under Lu Youjiao’s charge. Being of lower rank, they dared say no more, and withdrew seething.

Lu Youjiao said, “It is not that this humble servant dares disbelieve the Guild Chief’s word. But this is a great matter, the avenging of our Guild’s wrong. I beg the Guild Chief to question them closely and get at the truth.”

Yang Kang had long since planned for this. He said, “Very well. I shall question them thoroughly.” He turned to Guo Jing and Huang Rong and said, “You need not speak. If what I say is right, nod. If I am wrong, shake your head. If there is the least deceit in you, do not blame dao and jian for showing no mercy.” He waved his hand, and Elders Peng and Liang each drew a weapon and pressed it against the pair’s backs. Elder Peng wielded a jian, and Elder Liang a dao. Both were keen-edged.

Huang Rong was so furious her face went white. She thought of the nodding and head-shaking she had overheard from next door in Niu Family Village, when Lu Guanying asked Cheng Yaojia to marry him. What a charming, tender scene that had been, and now the same game had fallen on her own head, and she was to be humiliated by this vile traitor. She had once played the very trick on Ouyang Ke, she reflected, and never thought to have it paid back on herself. Angry as she was, she was still working out how to use the nods and shakes to set Lu Youjiao wondering, so that he would insist on questioning them by word of mouth. Once she could speak, exposing Yang Kang’s plot would be no hard matter.

Yang Kang knew that Guo Jing was honest and easily fooled. He lifted him up, set him to one side and asked loudly, “This girl is Huang Yaoshi’s own daughter. Is that so?”

Guo Jing shut his eyes and gave no answer. Elder Liang jabbed his dao into his back and barked, “Is it so or not? Do you nod or shake your head?”

Guo Jing had intended to refuse to the end, but then he thought, Even though I cannot speak, there is still right and wrong. He nodded.

The beggars all took it for granted that Huang Yaoshi was the chief villain who had killed Hong Qigong. When they saw him nod, they broke into a roar. “What more is there to ask? Kill them, kill them!” “Kill the little wretch first, then go after the old devil.”

Yang Kang called out, “Brothers, be quiet a moment. I have more to ask him.” The beggars heard their Guild Chief’s command and fell silent at once.

Yang Kang asked Guo Jing, “Huang Yaoshi betrothed his daughter to you. Is that so?” That was true, Guo Jing thought, and he nodded again.

Yang Kang bent down, patted about his person and drew out a short jian that blazed with crystalline light. He asked, “This was given to you by Qiu Chuji²⁵ of the Seven Zis of Quanzhen,²⁶ and the old Daoist Qiu carved your name upon the short jian. Is that so?” Guo Jing nodded.

Yang Kang went on, “Ma Yu²⁷ of the Seven Zis of Quanzhen taught you martial arts, and Wang Chuyi²⁸ saved your life. You cannot deny it?” Guo Jing thought, Why should I deny it? and nodded again.

Yang Kang said, “Guild Chief Hong regarded you two as good people and passed his supreme skills on to you. Is that so?” Guo Jing nodded.

Yang Kang asked once more, “The old Guild Chief Hong was treacherously attacked by his enemies and gravely wounded. You two were right there at his side. Is that so?” Guo Jing nodded again.

Huang Rong was frantic. She thought, Silly gege, no matter whether what he asks is right or wrong, just shake your head. Then he will have to let you speak.

Footnotes

1. 杨康 — Yáng Kāng. His name meaning “well-being”; paired with Guo Jing’s 靖 it recalls the Jingkang Shame of 1127. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

2. 打狗棒 — Dǎgǒu Bàng. The jade-green bamboo staff carried by the Guild Chief of the Beggars’ Guild as the token of his office. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

3. 洪七公 — Hóng Qīgōng. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

4. 丐帮 — Gàibāng. Literally beggars’ guild. The largest band in the jianghu, with members throughout the realm. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

5. 傻姑 — Shǎgū. Literally silly girl. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

6. 临安 — Lín’ān. Capital of Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1276) known for its cultural refinement and West Lake scenery. Modern day Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. See Wikipedia. ↩

7. 岳州 — Yuèzhōu. A prefecture on Dongting Lake, modern Yueyang in Hunan. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

8. 黄蓉 — Huáng Róng. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

9. 净衣派 — Jìngyī Pài. Beggars’ Guild members who wear the patched beggar’s robe but otherwise live as ordinary people; most were never beggars. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

10. 污衣派 — Wūyī Pài. Beggars’ Guild members who truly live by begging and keep the Guild’s strict rules. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

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

12. 鲁有脚 — Lǔ Yǒujiǎo. His name meaning “has feet”. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

13. 简长老 — Jiǎn Zhǎnglǎo. Literally Elder Jian. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

14. 相公 — xiànggōng. A courteous address to a young man of standing, and also how a wife addresses her husband. ↩

15. 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. ↩

16. 黄药师 — Huáng Yàoshī. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

17. 彭长老 — Péng Zhǎnglǎo. Literally Elder Peng. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

18. 梁长老 — Liáng Zhǎnglǎo. Literally Elder Liang. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

19. 明霞岛 — Míngxiá Dǎo. Literally island of bright rosy clouds. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

20. 师父 — shīfù. Teacher responsible for technical instruction and moral guidance. Shī means teacher. Fù means father. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

21. 轩辕台 — Xuānyuán Tái. Literally Xuanyuan terrace, Xuanyuan being the Yellow Emperor. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

22. 黎生 — Lí Shēng. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

23. 余兆兴 — Yú Zhàoxīng. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

24. 欧阳克 — Ōuyáng Kè. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

25. 丘处机 — Qiū Chǔjī. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

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

27. 马钰 — Mǎ Yù. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

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