The Return of the Condor Heroes Chapter 20 – Part 6

In pure martial attainment, the Imperial Preceptor exceeded Nimoxing. But seeing the boulder change course and fly at him, he could only leap aside again. Nimoxing pressed his advantage. With each strike, he added fresh force, and the great rock’s momentum grew ever more ferocious. The Imperial Preceptor thought, If this continues, I will lose to this dark dwarf. I must change tactics at once. Fortunately, he attacked alone first. If I kill him swiftly with a lethal blow, that zombie-ghost won’t dare follow up. Yang and Long are both poisoned, they cannot use the Pure-hearted Jade Maiden Swordplay freely.

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Suddenly, from behind the mountain came the thunder of hooves, like rolling thunder. Banners fluttered, and a contingent of cavalry burst into view. The Imperial Preceptor and Nimoxing were locked in fierce combat with no attention to spare. Yang Guo and the others saw a force of robust men and strong horses, armed with long blades and powerful crossbows, a Mongol cavalry unit. They halted a dozen zhang away, and the commanding officer raised a hand to signal the entire company to stop.

Beneath the banner, a rider observed the battle for a moment, then spurred his horse forward and called out, “Stop! Stop!” The man was bareheaded, wearing a yellow robe and carrying an iron bow, none other than the Mongol prince, Kublai.¹

Hearing the call, Nimoxing leaped forward and pushed with both palms. The great boulder tumbled. beng-teng, beng-teng, down the slope, sweeping mud, sand, and stones along in its thunderous path. Kublai dismounted and walked toward the Imperial Preceptor and Nimoxing with a broad smile. “So the two of you were exchanging martial arts here,” he said. “It truly opens this prince’s eyes.” He knew perfectly well that they had been fighting in earnest, but to preserve face on both sides, he wanted to gloss over it lightly. He continued with a laugh, “This place has fine scenery, how can we be without wine? Attendants, bring wine! Let us drink three hearty bowls!” Mongols grow up in the open wilderness, treating heaven and earth as their chamber. Dining on a barren mountain was no different from dining in a hall. Attendants immediately brought strong wine and dried meat, arranging them on the ground.

Kublai glanced twice at Xiaolongnü, secretly astonished. Can there truly be such a beautiful woman in the world? Seeing her standing shoulder to shoulder with Yang Guo, their manner intimate, he asked, “Who is this young lady?” Yang Guo said, “This is Miss Long, my teacher in the martial arts, and also my wife.” Having passed through life and death in Passionless Valley, he now held the world’s conventions and proprieties in utter contempt. He wanted the whole world to know: I, Yang Guo, have married my teacher.

Mongols were far less concerned than Han Chinese with such customs as respecting teachers and maintaining the separation of the sexes. Hearing that this girl had taught him martial arts, Kublai felt an added layer of respect. He laughed and said, “Truly, a talented man and a beautiful woman, a match made in heaven. Excellent, excellent. Come, let everyone drain a bowl to celebrate the two of you.” He raised his wine bowl and drank it in one gulp. The Imperial Preceptor smiled faintly and also drained his bowl. The others followed suit, with Ma Guangzuo downing three bowls in succession.

Xiaolongnü had no particular feelings toward Mongols, one way or the other. But hearing Kublai praise her and Yang Guo as a fine match, her heart filled with pleasure. After drinking half a bowl of wine, her complexion grew even more radiant. She thought, Those Han people all say Guoer and I cannot marry. But this Mongol prince says “excellent, excellent.” It seems Mongols have better judgement.

Kublai laughed. “You have been gone three days. This prince was growing worried. But military affairs at Xiangyang were pressing, and I could not wait. That Master Zhou could not be recruited, we can speak of it another day. This prince left word at the main camp, asking all of you to proceed to the front at Xiangyang and lend your strength. Meeting you here by chance, it greatly gladdens my heart.”

The Imperial Preceptor asked, “May I ask, Your Highness, how goes our army’s assault on Xiangyang?” Kublai frowned. “The defender of Xiangyang, Lü Wenhuan, is a mediocre talent.² The one this prince fears is Guo Jing, and Guo Jing alone.” Yang Guo’s heart jolted. “Guo Jing is indeed in Xiangyang?”

Kublai said, “This Guo Jing, speaking of it, is actually this prince’s elder by a generation. In his youth, he was sworn brothers with my late father, he was my grandfather Genghis Khan’s most beloved general.³ This man possesses both wisdom and courage. When he led the expedition to the Western Regions, he devised stratagem after stratagem and accomplished great deeds. My late father once told me: the Southern Dynasty may have a foolish ruler and treacherous ministers, cowardly generals and weak soldiers, for all their numbers, they cannot match our Mongol elite. But if you ever face Guo Jing, you must be a thousand times careful. Ai, my father indeed had foresight. Our army has camped outside Xiangyang’s walls and attacked for so long without success, all because of this Guo Jing’s interference.”

Yang Guo rose to his feet. “This Guo is my father’s murderer,” he said. “This humble one requests permission to assassinate him.”

Kublai was delighted. “This prince invited all you heroes precisely for this purpose. But I have heard it said that Guo Jing’s martial arts are the foremost among the Han people of the Central Plains, and he is aided by many talented and unusual individuals. This prince has repeatedly sent brave warriors to assassinate him. All have failed, captured or killed, none have returned. Brother Yang, though valiant, would be a lone palm, hard to make a sound. This prince wishes to ask all you heroes to infiltrate Xiangyang together and strike with combined force. Once this man is killed, Xiangyang will fall like ripe fruit.”

The Imperial Preceptor, Xiaoxiangzi, and the others rose as one and saluted with clasped hands. “We are at Your Highness’s command. We will give our utmost.”

Kublai was overjoyed. “Whoever strikes the killing blow, all who accompany him shall receive great merit. But the one who delivers the fatal stroke, this prince shall memorialise the Great Khan to bestow upon him a noble title, hereditary rank, and the title of ‘Foremost Warrior of the Great Mongol Empire.’”

Xiaoxiangzi, Nimoxing, and the others did not care much for noble titles or hereditary rank. But to be proclaimed “Foremost Warrior of the Great Mongol Empire”, to have one’s name ring throughout the world, that was the dream of a lifetime. At this time, Mongol military might stretched to every horizon. The empire’s breadth was unprecedented in history. Its western territories extended tens of thousands of li. China itself was already two-thirds conquered. From the centre of the empire to its farthest borders, a fast horse would have to gallop for an entire year. To be called the Foremost Warrior, every hero under heaven would bow in admiration. Every man present was fired with zeal. Even the Golden Wheel Imperial Preceptor’s eyes gleamed with a strange light.

Yang Guo smiled sorrowfully and slowly shook his head. Xiaolongnü gazed at him with infinite tenderness, but in her heart she thought, Who wants noble titles or “Foremost Warrior”? I only want you to live well.

They drank several more bowls and rose to their feet. Mongol warriors led horses forward. Yang Guo, Xiaolongnü, the Golden Wheel Imperial Preceptor, and the others all mounted and followed behind Kublai, racing south toward Xiangyang.

Along the road, they saw nine houses out of ten empty, the ground strewn with corpses. Whenever Mongol soldiers encountered Han people, they often slaughtered them at will. Yang Guo watched with growing fury. He wanted to intervene, but Kublai’s presence restrained him. The Mongol soldiers are so cruel, he thought, treating us Han people worse than pigs and dogs. After I assassinate Guo Jing and Huang Rong, I must kill some of the most vicious Mongol officers to vent the rage in my heart.

Within a few days, they reached the outskirts of Xiangyang. The two armies had been locked in attack and defence for over a month. The hills and plains were littered with broken spears and splintered halberds, clotted blood and piled bones, a testament to the savagery of the fighting.

The Mongol army received word that Prince Kublai had personally arrived at the front. The supreme commander and all the generals rode out thirty li⁴ to welcome him. Their escort guards rode spirited horses, their iron armour clanking, a magnificent display of military might. Seeing Kublai’s great banner from afar, the generals all dismounted and prostrated themselves by the roadside.

Kublai rode up close, reined in his horse, and surveyed the scene. After a long silence, he snorted. “Xiangyang has withstood our attacks for so long. Our army grows stale without result. Have we not disgraced the Great Mongol Empire’s prestige?” The generals answered in unison, “This is our mortal fault. We beg Prince Kublai to pronounce punishment.” Kublai flicked his riding crop, and his horse bolted forward. The generals remained prostrate for a long time, not daring to rise, every man trembling.

Yang Guo observed how Kublai treated himself and the Imperial Preceptor with such ease and amiability, yet commanded his generals with such terrifying authority. The Mongol army, strong soldiers, sturdy horses, iron discipline, he thought. How can the Great Song possibly be their match? He could not help furrowing his brow.

At the first light of dawn the next day, the Mongol army launched a massive assault on the city. Arrows fell like rain, stones like hail, pounding relentlessly against the walls. Then the soldiers raised scaling ladders and swarmed toward the battlements from every direction. The city’s defence was tight and methodical. Teams of eight soldiers each wielded a great wooden beam to push the ladders away from the walls. The struggle raged for a long time. At last, several hundred Mongol soldiers gained the top of the wall. The Mongol army roared with triumphant shouts as company after hundred-man company swarmed up like ants.

Suddenly, the urgent clatter of watchmen’s clappers rang out from within the city. From behind the parapets, a company of archers appeared. Their arrows flew with deadly accuracy, forcing the Mongol reinforcements to halt their advance. Then another company of Song soldiers charged out, torches in hand, setting the scaling ladders ablaze. Mongol soldiers tumbled from the burning ladders in droves.

Amid the thunderous shouts from above and below the wall, a squad of stout, brave men appeared on the battlements, wielding long spears and sharp blades, and attacked the Mongol soldiers who had reached the top. These men did not wear Song military uniforms. Some were in short black jackets, others in long blue robes. They fought without formation, but they were nimble and fierce, clearly possessed of martial skill. The Mongol officers and soldiers who had gained the wall were the army’s elite warriors, men who had never met their match. But against this squad, after a few exchanges, they were cut down one by one, some sprawled dead on the battlements, others dashed to pieces at the foot of the wall.

One middle-aged man among the Song forces was especially ferocious. Dressed in grey, barehanded, he ranged back and forth across the wall. Whenever he saw a Song soldier in trouble, he would leap to the rescue. Where his palm wind passed, Mongol officers and soldiers fell like wheat before the scythe, a tiger among sheep.

Kublai himself was directing the battle from below the wall. Seeing this man’s heroism, he stood transfixed for a long moment. He sighed. “Among all the warriors under heaven, who can compare to this man?” Yang Guo stood beside him and asked, “Does Your Highness know who he is?” Startled, Kublai said, “Can it be. Guo Jing?” Yang Guo said, “It is.”

Footnotes

1. 忽必烈 – Hūbìliè. Grandson of Genghis Khan, founder of the Yuan Dynasty. At this point in the novel, he is a prince leading the Mongol campaign against the Southern Song. His portrayal here as a complex figure — charming to allies, ruthless to subordinates — reflects Jin Yong’s nuanced approach to historical characters. ↩

2. 吕文焕 – Lǚ Wénhuàn. Historical Song commander who defended Xiangyang for six years before finally surrendering to the Mongols in 1273. In the novel, he is portrayed as a mediocre official whose defence is propped up entirely by Guo Jing and the martial artists. ↩

3. 拖雷 – Tuōléi. Genghis Khan’s youngest son; sworn brother of the young Guo Jing. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

4. 里 – lǐ. Traditional Chinese unit of distance, approximately 500 metres or a third of a mile. ↩