The Legend of the Condor Heroes Chapter 4 – Part 1

The Twin Evils of Dark Wind¹

Wanyan Hongxi laughed and said, “Good. Let’s give them another thrashing to our hearts’ content.” A scout from the Mongol advance guard reported that Wang Khan himself had come to welcome the two princes of the Great Jin. Temüjin, Jamukha and Senggum hastened forward on horseback to receive him.

A body of cavalry surged up through the dust. Several hundred guards escorted Wang Khan as he galloped close, then rolled from his saddle. He seized the hands of his two sworn sons, Temüjin and Jamukha, and led them to kneel before the Wanyan brothers’ horses. He was stout, his beard and hair silver-white, clad in a long robe of black sable with a belt of yellow gold at his waist. His bearing was imposing. Wanyan Honglie dismounted at once to return the courtesy, while Wanyan Hongxi merely cupped his fists from the saddle.

Wang Khan said, “This lowly one heard the Naimans were plotting something insolent, and feared the two princes might be disturbed, so I hurried my troops here. Fortunately, by the grace of Your Highnesses’ authority, my three sons have driven them off.” He took the lead himself and guided the party northward. By nightfall he had escorted the Wanyan brothers with the utmost deference to his own ger.²

The ger was carpeted entirely in sable and fox fur. Its vessels and appointments were sumptuous. Even his bodyguards were better dressed than Temüjin, to say nothing of Wang Khan and his son themselves. For several li in every direction the blare of horns sounded without ceasing. Men shouted, horses neighed. It was a bustle and splendour the Wanyan brothers had not seen since passing beyond the Great Wall.

Wang Khan’s title from the Jin court was even higher than Temüjin’s, though it was an empty honour and the Jin Empire was never stingy with such things. Wang Khan was beside himself with delight and kept thanking the Wanyan brothers, pledging his loyalty. After the enfeoffment was concluded, Wang Khan held a great banquet that evening in the brothers’ honour. Crowds of bondmaids sang and danced before the guests, and the revelry was tremendous. Compared to the rough, bare hospitality of Temüjin’s tribe, it was as different as heaven from earth. Wanyan Hongxi was hugely pleased. He set his heart on two of the bondmaids and turned over in his mind how best to ask Wang Khan for them.

When the drinking was halfway through, Wanyan Honglie said, “Old Hero, your fame carries far and wide. We heard of it long ago in the Central Capital, but that goes without saying. I should also like to meet the most famous heroes and brave men of the Mongols’ younger generation.”

Wang Khan laughed. “These two sworn sons of mine are the most renowned heroes and brave men among all the Mongols.”

Senggum, Wang Khan’s own son, heard this and was far from pleased. He kept draining cup after cup. Wanyan Honglie noticed his anger and said, “Your own son is a greater hero still. Why does the Old Hero not mention him?”

Wang Khan laughed again. “When I am dead, it will be he who leads the tribe, naturally. But how can he compare with his two sworn elder brothers? Jamukha is full of resource and strategy. And Temüjin, he is unmatched in valour. He carved out his own dominion with his bare hands. Is there a single brave man among the Mongols who would not gladly die for him?”

Wanyan Honglie said, “Then are the Old Hero’s own soldiers inferior to the Pacification Commissioner Temüjin’s men?”

Temüjin heard the provocation hidden in his words and cast him a glance, quietly on his guard.

Wang Khan stroked his beard and was silent for a time. Then he drank a mouthful of wine and said slowly, “Last time the Naimans drove off tens of thousands of my livestock. It was only because Temüjin sent his Four Heroes to help me that we recovered them. His soldiers may be few, but every one of them is fierce and brave. Your Highnesses saw it with your own eyes on the battlefield today.”

Anger showed on Senggum’s face. He set his golden cup down on the wooden table with a heavy knock. Temüjin said hastily, “What use am I? Whatever I am today, I owe it all to my sworn father’s care and favour.”

Wanyan Honglie said, “Four Heroes? Who are they? I should like to meet them.”

Wang Khan turned to Temüjin. “Call them in.”

Temüjin clapped his hands softly. Four generals entered the ger.

The first had gentle features and a fair, clean complexion: Muqali, the master of strategy. The second was tall and broad, his gaze keen as a hawk’s: Bo’orchu, Temüjin’s close companion. The third was short and sinewy, his steps quick and supple: Boroqul, Tolui’s shifu.³ The fourth’s face and hands were a mass of scars from arrows and blades, his face as red as blood: Tchila’un, who had once saved Temüjin’s life. In later years these four would be the great founding heroes of the Mongol state. For now, Temüjin called them his Four Heroes.

Wanyan Honglie praised and encouraged each of them in turn and granted them a generous cup of wine apiece. When they had drunk, he went on, “On the battlefield today there was a general in a black robe who charged through the enemy lines with unstoppable valour. Who was that?”

Temüjin said, “He is a leader-of-ten I have lately taken into my service. Men call him Jebe.”

Wanyan Honglie said, “Tell him to come in for a cup too.”

Temüjin sent the order out.

Jebe entered the ger and gave thanks for the wine. He was just raising the cup when Senggum cried, “You, a mere leader-of-ten, how dare you drink from my golden cup?”

Jebe was startled and furious at once. He stopped with the cup at his lips and looked to Temüjin. Among the Mongols, to forbid a man to drink was a grave insult. And before all these witnesses, how was one to endure it?

Temüjin thought, For my sworn father’s sake, I will yield to Senggum once more. He said to Jebe, “Give it here. I’m thirsty, let me drink it!” He took the golden cup from Jebe’s hand and drained it in one draught. Jebe glared at Senggum, then strode out of the ger.

Senggum barked, “Come back!” Jebe ignored him entirely and walked out with his head held high.

Senggum had made a fool of himself. He said, “My sworn elder brother Temüjin has his Four Heroes, but let me loose just one thing, and it would devour all four in a single breath.” He gave a low, cold laugh. He called Temüjin his sworn elder brother because Temüjin had taken Wang Khan as sworn father, though the two of them had never sworn anda with each other.⁴

Wanyan Hongxi, curious, said, “What fearsome thing is that? Now that is strange.”

Senggum said, “Let us go outside the ger and see.”

Wang Khan barked, “Drink in peace. What mischief are you up to now?”

But Wanyan Hongxi was eager for sport. “We have drunk enough. A little entertainment would be welcome.” He rose and walked out. The others followed.

Outside the ger the Mongol soldiers had lit several hundred great bonfires and were carousing around them. When they saw the Great Khans⁵ and their guests emerging, there was a thunderous rumble, and on the west side a great body of soldiers sprang up as one and stood in perfect order, motionless. They were Temüjin’s men. On the east side, Wang Khan’s troops scrambled to their feet in a straggle, some still laughing and talking in low voices. Wanyan Honglie watched and thought, Wang Khan may have more soldiers, but he falls far short of Temüjin!

Temüjin saw that Jebe’s face was still dark with anger in the firelight. He called out, “Bring wine!” An attendant presented a great jug of wine. Temüjin raised the jug and said loudly, “Today we have routed the Naimans. Every man has toiled hard.” The soldiers cried, “It was Wang Khan, Temüjin Khan and Jamukha Khan who led us.”

Temüjin said, “Today I saw two men especially valiant, who charged into the enemy’s rear and fought their way in and out three times, shooting dozens of the enemy dead. One was Jelme. And the other, who was it?”

The soldiers shouted, “Leader-of-Ten Jebe!”

Temüjin said loudly, “What leader-of-ten? He is a leader-of-hundred!” The crowd was taken aback, then understood. Temüjin was promoting Jebe. They cheered, “Jebe is a great warrior. He is fit to lead a hundred.”

Temüjin said to Jelme, “Bring my iron helm!” Jelme presented it with both hands. Temüjin took it, held it aloft and cried, “This is the iron helm I wore when I rode against the enemy. Now I give it to the warrior as his drinking cup!” He took the lid off the jug and poured all the wine into the helm. He drank a great draught himself, then passed it to Jebe.

Jebe’s heart was full of gratitude. He went down on one knee, took the helm and drank it down in several gulps. Then he said quietly, “A golden cup set with the costliest jewels in the world is not worth the Great Khan’s iron helm.”

Temüjin smiled faintly, took back the helm and set it on his head.

All the Mongol soldiers knew that Jebe had been shamed by Senggum over the wine and felt the injustice. Even Wang Khan’s men thought Senggum was in the wrong. When they saw Temüjin treat Jebe thus, both eastern and western crowds broke into loud cheers.

Wanyan Honglie thought, Temüjin is truly a man of men. At this moment he could order Jebe to die ten thousand times, and the man would do so gladly. The ministers at court keep saying the northern savages are brainless barbarians. They badly underrate these people.

Wanyan Hongxi, however, was thinking only of Senggum’s boast about devouring the Four Heroes. He seated himself in a tiger-skin chair that his attendants had carried over and asked Senggum, “What fearsome thing do you have that could devour the Four Heroes in a single breath?”

Senggum smiled and said in a low voice, “I will show Your Highness a fine piece of sport. Four Heroes who shake the desert, indeed. Most likely they are no match for my two beasts.” He raised his voice and called, “Where are the Four Heroes of my sworn brother Temüjin?”

Muqali and the other three came forward and bowed.

Senggum turned and whispered a few words to one of his own retainers, who bowed and went away. After a while, a low snarl of savage beasts was heard. From behind the gers came two great leopards, their coats a brocade of coin-shaped spots. In the darkness their eyes glowed like four small lamps of glossy green, advancing slowly. Wanyan Hongxi was startled and gripped the hilt of his dao. When the leopards came into the firelight, he saw that leather collars ringed their necks. Each beast was led by two strapping men, each holding a long pole. They were the keepers who reared the hunting leopards. The Mongols liked to keep leopards for the hunt. A hunting leopard was swifter than hounds and ferocious beyond measure. Whatever prey they struck died at once. But a leopard’s appetite was vast, and it must have meat, so only princes and great chiefs could afford to keep them. Even held in the keepers’ hands, Senggum’s two leopards bared their fangs and flexed their claws, their eyes fierce with menace. They darted east, then lunged west, every muscle seeming to brim with pent strength, yearning to be unleashed. Wanyan Hongxi’s skin prickled, and he felt ill at ease all over. Seeing how mighty and supple the beasts looked, it seemed the simplest thing for them to tear free of the keepers’ leather leads.

Senggum said to Temüjin, “Sworn brother, if your Four Heroes are truly heroes and brave men, let them fight my two leopards bare-handed. Then, and only then, I will bow to you.”

Every one of the Four Heroes was furious. Each thought, You insulted Jebe, and now you insult us. Are we wild boar? Mountain wolves? Setting us to fight your leopards. Temüjin too was deeply displeased. He said loudly, “I hold my Four Heroes as dear as my own life. How can I let them fight leopards?”

Senggum laughed aloud. “Indeed? And what sort of heroes and brave men are they, if they dare not face even two leopards?”

Tchila’un, whose temper was like fire, stepped forward and said to Temüjin, “Great Khan, it matters little if they mock us. But we cannot let your honour suffer. Let me fight the leopards.”

Wanyan Hongxi was delighted. He pulled a ring set with a blood-red gem from his finger and flung it on the ground. “If you beat the leopards, this is yours.”

Tchila’un did not spare it a glance. He crouched and sprang forward. Muqali caught hold of him and cried, “We shake the desert because we have killed so many enemies. Can a leopard command troops? Can it lay an ambush and encircle the foe?”

Temüjin said, “Brother Senggum, you have won.” He bent, picked up the ruby ring and placed it in Senggum’s palm. Senggum slipped it on his finger, and laughed long and loud, holding up his hand to show it all round. Wang Khan’s soldiers cheered. Jamukha frowned and said nothing. Temüjin’s expression did not change. The Four Heroes withdrew in anger.

Wanyan Hongxi, seeing that the man-against-beast bout would not take place, was greatly disappointed. He claimed two bondmaids from Wang Khan and returned to his ger.

The next morning, Tolui and Guo Jing went out hand in hand to wander. They strolled at ease, straying far from the camp. Suddenly a white rabbit darted past their feet. Tolui took out his little bow and arrow and let fly with a twang. The arrow struck the rabbit square in the belly. But he was young and weak. Though the shot was true, it was not fatal. The wounded rabbit fled with the arrow still in it, and the two boys shouted and chased after it.

Footnotes

1. 黑风双煞 — Hēifēng Shuāngshà. Chapter title. The Twin Evils of Dark Wind are a married pair of renegade martial artists. ↩

2. 帐幕 — zhàngmù. A tent. The felt-covered dwelling of the steppe nomads, the ger or yurt. ↩

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

4. 安答 — āndá. The Mongol word for a sworn brother, bound by oath before Heaven. ↩

5. 大汗 — dàhán. Literally great khan. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩