Mandarin Duck Blades Chapter 10

In the main hall, tall red candles burned brightly. A five-foot square brocade scroll bearing a large golden character for “longevity”¹ hung at the centre.

The guest had finished giving their well wishes to the birthday celebrant Xiao Banhe,² who stroked his beard with a beaming smile as he announced joyous news: the betrothal of his beloved only daughter Xiao Zhonghui³ to the young xia Yuan Guannan⁴ that very evening. He invited all the guests to first toast to his birthday, and then share a celebratory wine for the impending nuptials.

Amidst the cheers, Yuan Guannan knelt on the red carpet to pay respects to his future parents-in-law. A beaming Xiao Banhe produced a sandalwood fan as an betrothal gift that Yuan Guannan accepted with gratitude. Madam Yuan was also smiling ear to ear as she brought out a jade finger guard that Yuan Guannan reached out to accept as he thanked her…

Suddenly, the jade finger guard clattered to the floor. Yuan Guannan’s paled as he stared at Madam Yuan’s right hand. She had a branched finger on her right little finger. He grabbed her left hand and found that the left little finger bore a branched finger too. Yuan Guannan asked in a trembling voice, “M-Mother-in-law, d-do you recognise this?”

He reached into his collar and drew forth a jade lion strung on a thin gold chain. Madam Yuan clutched the lion, her entire body jolted as though struck by lightning as she cried out, “A-Are you Shiguan?”⁵

Yuan Guannan replied, “Mother, it’s your son indeed. How I have longed for you!”

The two embraced and burst into loud sobs.

Everyone in the birthday hall fell silent watching the reunion of mother and son. Each person felt a mixture of sadness, joy, and astonishment. Madam Yuan wept, “Shiguan, oh, Shiguan, where have you been these eighteen years? Not a day passed without my aching for you!”

Yuan Guannan said, “Mother, I have travelled throughout all eighteen provinces searching for word of your whereabouts, fearing… fearing I’d never see you again in this lifetime.”

When Xiao Zhonghui heard Yuan Guannan call out “Mother,” she swayed and nearly collapsed, with only one thought echoing in her mind, “So he’s my brother. So he’s my brother… He’s my brother…”

Lin Yulong⁶ whispered to his wife, “What? Mister Yuan is Madam Xiao’s son? I’m confused.”

Ren Feiyan⁷ replied, “Didn’t Mister Yuan say he was searching for his mother? He even asked us to help keep an eye out for him, saying his mother had a branched finger on each little finger. And didn’t Madam Xiao just acknowledge him?”

Lin Yulong scratched his head and asked, “Why is his surname Yuan while his father’s is Xiao?”

Ren Feiyan said, “Fool! Mister Yuan was three when he got separated from his mother. How would a three-year-old child know his own surname? He simply adopted a random surname, that’s all.”

Lin Yulong said, “This means Miss Xiao is his sister. How can siblings wed?”

Ren Feiyan snapped, Since they’re siblings, of course they can’t marry! Isn’t that stating the obvious?”

Lin Yulong spat, “Pah! You’re the one stating the obvious.”

As the couple’s bickering grew louder, Xiao Zhonghui could no longer bear it. With a stifled cry, she fled the hall covering her face.

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Xiao Zhonghui’s mind was a complete blank. Everything before her seemed shrouded in darkness, devoid of any joy in living. She bolted out of the main gate and raced blindly ahead, and her shoulder crashed into someone. She cried out in alarm, thinking, “Oh no! With my martial arts cultivation, I might’ve caused an injury.”

She extended a helping hand in haste, only to find her wrist seized and her left arm going numb from her vital point.⁸ She looked up with a start as she truck with her right palm on instinct. The person countered with a reverse wrist seize, twisting and grasping the vital point on her right wrist as well. The person before her was none other than Zhuo Tianxiong.⁹

Zhuo Tianxiong roared with laughter, calling out, “Weixin, capture this blade first!”

Zhou Weixin¹⁰ responded at once, removing the short Yang blade¹¹ from Xiao Zhonghui’s waist. Zhuo Tianxiong said, “Xiao Banhe’s name is renowned through the jianghu,¹² and it’s his fiftieth birthday today. With his mansion full of martial experts, do you dare retrieve that long Yuan blade,¹³ Weixin?”

Zhou Weixin replied: “With shibo¹⁴ backing me up, I would venture even into a dragon’s pool or tiger’s den. As the jianghu saying goes, ‘A wide road is good for racing horses, a tall tree provides is good for providing shade.’”

Zhuo Tianxiong snorted and laughed, “How pathetic! Always relying on your shibo!”

Throughout his life, he had prided himself on his unmatched skills, having scarce met a worthy opponent. But after his defeat by Yuan Guannan and Xiao Zhonghui’s Wedded Blade Style,¹⁵ his confidence faltered. This chance encounter with Xiao Zhonghui made him think that while the couple was formidable with their coordinated blades, now that he had captured one of them, Yuan Guannan on his own would be no cause for concern. Moreover, with Xiao Zhonghui in his hands, no matter how many experts the Xiao mansion housed, Xiao Banhe would have no choice but to surrender the long Yuan blade in obedience.

Zhuo Tianxiong, holding Xiao Zhonghui captive, informed the county magistrate’s office, and then headed to the Xiao mansion with Zhou Weixin and the other escorts.¹⁶

Upon receiving the calling card¹⁷ bearing the three characters “Zhuo Tianxiong”, Xiao Banhe tensed visibly and called out, “Usher him with haste!”

Within moments, Zhuo Tianxiong strode into the hall with his head held high. Xiao Banhe rushed forward to greet him, only to see his daughter with her hands tied behind her back and a man holding the short Yang blade against her back.

Though Xiao Banhe was shaken with alarm, he betrayed not the slightest emotion, maintaining a smile as he said, “It’s only a humble man’s unworthy birthday, to what do I owe the honour of the Imperial Guard gracing us with his presence?”

Having long heard of Xiao Banhe’s reputation in the capital, Zhuo Tianxiong now beheld the man himself—his imposing figure and full beard indeed matching his famed presence. He extended his right hand and said, “It’s Xiao daxia’s¹⁸ esteemed birthday celebration. I, your humble brother, am late in offering my congratulations. I beg your forgiveness.”

Xiao Banhe smiled and said, “Think nothing of it.”

He reached out and grasped the hand. As both men exerted their strength, their arms trembled and each felt numbness through half their body. In this test of skill, they proved evenly matched. They then entered the birthday hall arm in arm.

Of the two, Zhuo Tianxiong was the more astonished. He was known in the wulin¹⁹ for his Thirty Heaven-shaking Palms²⁰ and the Eighteen Whips of Huyan.²¹ The Thirty Palms could only be matched by the Unified Innate Energy,²² and it was precisely the skill Xiao Banhe had just used. But Unified Origin Energy could only be cultivated by those who maintained celibacy, and would disappear after marriage, regardless of gender. The training was arduous, yet its power could be lost very easily, making it rare in the wulin.

Before coming to the Xiao mansion, he had already gathered intelligence that revealed Xiao Banhe had a wife and a concubine, and his daughter was already of marriageable age. How could he still possess the Unified Innate Energy that required virginity? It was a great anomaly in martial arts studies.

Seeing Xiao Zhonghui held captive, Yuan Guannan was anxious and concerned. He slipped through the crowd in a wide arc to position himself behind the escorts, poised to seize any chance for rescue. But nothing escaped Zhuo Tianxiong’s formidable sight. He had already tracked the movement and barked: “Yuan fellow, you stay right there!”

Turning to Zhou Weixin, he said, “If anyone makes a move, put your blade through the girl!”

Zhou Weixin replied, “Yes. As the jianghu saying goes, ‘Among the strong there are always stronger ones, and among the villains…’”

He trailed off, the words “will be ground by other villains” dying in his throat as he realised the impropriety of the proverb.

Yuan Guannan, terrified that these people would harm Xiao Zhonghui, dared not take a single step forward.

Zhuo Tianxiong said, “Xiao daxia, I shall not conceal my purpose here. Your humble brother’s visit to your mansion today is firstly to pay my respects on your birthday, and secondly to exchange a priceless treasure for another valuable one.”

Xiao Banhe replied, “My meager wits fail to grasp the meaning of milord’s words.”

Zhuo Tianxiong rolled his eyes and smiled, “The priceless treasure is your precious daughter, and the valuable item is that long Yuan blade. Your humble brother bears no grudge against you, Xiao daxia. I only wish to complete my duty before the Emperor and protect the lives and families of all these brothers. I hope Xiao daxia would be magnanimous and help me.”

Saying that, he clasped his hands in respect. Although his words sounded humble, his manner dripped with arrogance.

Xiao Banhe pressed his hand against the back of his chair, shattering it with a crack. He laughed as he said, “Lord Zhuo is held in high esteem within the wulin. Why are you so muddleheaded today? Not only is the Mandarin Duck Blade not in my possession, this young lady is also not my daughter. How could someone who practices the Unified Innate Energy that requires virginity possibly father children?”

As he spoke, he swept his sleeve, sending a fierce gust of wind shooting forth. Zhuo Tianxiong twisted sideways to dodge, thinking to himself, “There’s no mistaking it. This is definitely the celibate-cultivated Unified Innate Energy.”

Xiao Zhonghui had been heartbroken upon learning that Yuan Guannan was her brother. Seeing her father deny their relationship to save her, she could not help but cry out, “Father!”

At that moment, shouts came from outside, “Don’t let the rebel Xiao Yi²³ escape!”

Amid the commotion of people and horses, numerous soldiers had arrived beyond the mansion gates. Several servants from the Xiao household rushed in, panicked and distraught, calling out, “Master—terrible news! Countless imperial soldiers… soldiers have surrounded the gates.”

Upon hearing the words “Don’t let the rebel Xiao Yi escape,” Zhuo Tianxiong’s mind with sudden comprehension. He shouted, “Ha! What Xiao Banhe? You’re actually the rebel that the Emperor has been hunting for the past sixteen years.”

Just then, at the main entrance, shadows flickered as four imperial guards darted in. The one in the lead called out: “Big Brother Zhuo, he’s the rebel Xiao Yi. Why haven’t you apprehended him yet?”

Footnotes

1. 寿 – shòu. Longevity, commonly used in birthday celebrations. ↩

2. 萧半和 – Xiāo Bànhé. ↩

3. 萧中慧 – Xiāo Zhōnghuì. ↩

4. 袁冠南 – Yuán Guānnán. ↩

5. 狮官 – Shīguān. Literally lion officer. ↩

6. 林玉龙 – Lín Yùlóng ↩

7. 任飞燕 – Rèn Fēiyàn. ↩

8. 脉门 – màimén. Vital point or pulse point at the wrist where blood vessels are close to the surface; a vulnerable spot in martial arts combat that when seized can render an opponent’s limb numb or immobile. ↩

9. 卓天雄 – Zhuó Tiānxióng. ↩

10. 周威信 – Zhoū Weīxìn. ↩

11. 鸯刀 – yāngdāo. Yang is the female mandarin duck and is the name of the shorter of the Mandarin Duck Blades. ↩

12. 江湖 – jiānghú. The world of martial arts. A sub-society involving all who are related to the martial arts scene. See jianghu. ↩

13. 鸳刀 – yuāndāo. Yuan is the male mandarin duck, and is the name of the the longer of the Mandarin Duck Blades. ↩

14. 师伯 – shībó. Elder fellow disciple, of one’s shifu. Shi means teacher. Bo literally means elder uncle.This places the person on the same generation as one’s shifu. ↩

15. 夫妻刀法 – fūqī dāofǎ. Literally the married couple’s dao style. Often mistranslated as the Couple’s Blade Style and losing the specific marital reference. It also refers to how the moves are designed to complement each other. ↩

16. 镖师 – Biāoshī. Professional armed escorts employed by escort agencies. ↩

17. 名刺 – míngcì. A calling card was a formal written introduction bearing one’s name and sometimes title, used in traditional China when visiting someone of status. ↩

18. 大侠 – dàxiá. A title of great respect in the martial world, denoting someone of exceptional martial prowess who upholds justice and righteousness. ↩

19. 武林 – wǔlín. Literally martial forest. It refers to the martial arts community within the jianghu. These are people who practice martial arts. ↩

20. 震天三十掌 – zhèntiān sānshí zhǎng. Literally Thirty Heaven-shaking Palms. ↩

21. 呼延十八鞭 – Hūyán shíbā giān. Literally Huyan’s Eighteen Whips. A martial arts technique named after a person with the surname Huyan. ↩

22. 混元气 – hùn yuánqì. Literally mixed innate energy. ↩

23. 萧义 – Xiāo Yì. ↩