The Return of the Condor Heroes Chapter 9 – Part 6

The official froze. “What injury?” He touched his right shoulder with his left hand, there was a faint, deep ache at one spot. Hurriedly he touched his left shoulder with his right hand. The same spot there ached in just the same way. He had not noticed it before, but now that his fingers pressed on it, a single tiny point seemed to hurt clear through to the bone. Horrified, the official tore open his clothing and looked sidelong. On his left shoulder was a red dot the size of a needle hole, and the same on his right shoulder. He understood instantly, when the other man had pressed down on his shoulders moments ago, he had concealed a hidden weapon in his hands and already struck. Shocked and furious, he shouted, “What hidden weapon did you use? Is it poisoned or not?”

Yang Guo smiled faintly. “You’ve studied martial arts, how can you not know even this basic rule? Large hidden weapons are non-toxic. Small hidden weapons are naturally toxic.” The official was ninety per cent convinced, but still hoped it was mere intimidation. His expression flickered between belief and doubt. Yang Guo smiled again. “Your shoulders have been struck by my divine needles. The poison spreads one inch per day. In about six days, it will reach your heart, and then you will return to heaven.”

Though the official wanted to beg for a cure, he could not bring himself to speak the words. In his fury and desperation, he roared, “In that case, your lordship will take you down with me!” He threw himself at Yang Guo. Yang Guo slipped aside, now holding a Jade Bee Needle in each hand. When the official lunged to grab him again, Yang Guo extended both hands and drove the needles into the man’s palms. The official felt a stab of pain in both palms. He stopped dead, stared at the fine needles in his hands, and then felt both palms go numb. Utterly terrified, he dared resist no longer. After a long pause, he said, “I admit defeat.”

Yang Guo roared with laughter. “What is your name?”

The official said, “This humble officer is Yelü Zhu.¹ May I ask the hero’s honoured name?”

Yang Guo said, “I am Yang Guo. What office do you hold among the Mongols?” Yelü Zhu told him. He was, it turned out, the eldest son of the Mongol Grand Chancellor Yelü Chucai.² Yelü Chucai had assisted Genghis Khan and Ögedei in conquering the four quarters, his achievements towering and illustrious. Thus Yelü Zhu, though young, had already attained the high office of Commissioner of Bianliang, and was journeying south to Henan to assume his post.

Yang Guo did not understand what a Commissioner of Bianliang was. He merely nodded and said, “Very good, very good.”

Yelü Zhu said, “This humble officer does not know how he has offended Hero Yang. I am utterly baffled. Whatever Hero Yang commands, please simply give your orders.”

Yang Guo laughed. “No particular offence.” Suddenly he vaulted out the window.

Yelü Zhu was horrified. “Hero Yang!” he cried, rushing to the window, but Yang Guo had long since vanished without a trace. Yelü Zhu was seized with terror and doubt. This man came like a shadow and left like the wind. I’ve been struck by his poison needles, what am I to do? He hurriedly pulled the fine needles from his palms. His shoulders and palms began to itch and burn unbearably.

While he was lost in turmoil, the window lattice stirred and Yang Guo was back. In the room now stood a young woman as well. Lu Wushuang. Yelü Zhu said, “Ah, you’ve returned!”

Yang Guo pointed at Lu Wushuang. “She is my wife. Kowtow to her.”

Lu Wushuang snapped, “What did you say?” She struck him with a backhand slap. If Yang Guo had wanted to evade it, how could that slap possibly have landed? But ever since losing Xiaolongnü, in his despondency and boredom, his mood had turned perverse and he had developed a taste for suffering. Being slapped by her, being cursed by her, he found it indescribably comfortable and satisfying. He did not dodge. Pa! The blow landed hot and stinging on his cheek.

Yelü Zhu, not knowing that the two of them were used to playing around like this, assumed Lu Wushuang’s martial arts were even higher than Yang Guo’s. He stared dumbly at them, not daring to make a sound. Yang Guo rubbed his slapped cheek and said to Yelü Zhu with a smile, “You’ve been struck by my divine needles, but you won’t die immediately. As long as you behave obediently, I will naturally cure you.”

Yelü Zhu said, “All my life, this humble officer has most admired heroes and gallant men. It is only a pity that until now I have never met anyone of true ability. To be able to make the acquaintance of such an eminent worthy today truly fulfils a lifelong wish. Whatever Hero Yang commands, this humble officer will gladly carry out.” These words simultaneously elevated his own status while heaping lavish praise on the other party.

Yang Guo had never dealt with government officials before and did not know that the greatest skill of office-holders was flattering their superiors, and the more adept they were at the art of officialdom, the more seamlessly the flattery was woven into their words. Yelü Zhu was originally of Khitan descent, rough and honest by nature. But after the fall of the Liao, serving in the Mongol court, he had gradually absorbed the habits of Chinese officialdom. Yang Guo, puffed up by a few phrases of flattery, was thoroughly pleased. He raised his thumb in praise. “I wouldn’t have guessed, you’re a man of real backbone. Come, I’ll cure you right now.” He immediately used a lodestone to draw out the two Jade Bee Needles from Yelü Zhu’s shoulders, then applied antidote to the wounds on his shoulders and palms. Unless Xiaolongnü and Yang Guo were facing a truly formidable enemy, the Jade Bee Needles they used were only coated with the mildest poison.

Lu Wushuang had never seen a Jade Bee Needle before. Now, looking at the two needles, finer than human hair, so light they seemed they could float on water, she thought, A single gust of wind could blow these needles away to who knows where, how could they possibly serve as hidden weapons? Her admiration for Yang Guo grew another notch, but her mouth still said, “Using such insidious hidden weapons, no manly spirit at all. Aren’t you afraid people will laugh at you?”

Yang Guo smiled but did not respond. He said to Yelü Zhu, “The two of us wish to seek refuge with Your Excellency and serve as your attendants.” Yelü Zhu started. “Hero Yang jests,” he said hastily. “Whatever instructions you have, please simply speak them.” Yang Guo said, “I am not jesting. We truly wish to be Your Excellency’s attendants.” Yelü Zhu thought, So these two want official posts, seeking a career path. His manner instantly became more imposing. He cleared his throat and said gravely, “Mm. Having studied martial arts, to sell one’s skills to the imperial house, that is the proper path.”

Yang Guo laughed. “Now you’ve got it wrong again. We have an extremely formidable enemy pursuing us from behind. The two of us cannot defeat her and wish to pose as Your Excellency’s attendants, to hide from her for a while.” Yelü Zhu was deeply disappointed. His stiffened face relaxed back into a fawning smile. “With martial skills like yours, what mere enemy is worth mentioning? If they come in numbers, this humble officer shall muster the troops and have them arrested, to be dealt with at your pleasure.” Yang Guo said, “Even I cannot defeat her, so Your Excellency need not trouble yourself. Quickly, instruct your attendants to bring us a change of clothes.”

His words were spoken lightly, but his tone carried an authority of its own. Yelü Zhu assented repeatedly and ordered attendants to bring clothing. Yang Guo and Lu Wushuang went to another room to change. Lu Wushuang took a mirror and studied herself, in the glass, a handsome young Mongol officer looked back at her, with sable coat and brocade robes, bright eyes and white teeth. She found it rather amusing.

They set out early the next morning. Yang Guo and Lu Wushuang each rode in a sedan chair, carried by bearers, while Yelü Zhu continued on horseback. Before noon, the clear ringing of bells sounded faintly, from far to near, and swept past the travelling party. Lu Wushuang was overjoyed. Resting and recovering in this sedan chair, nothing could be better. That fool’s foolish ideas do have some merit after all. I’ll just let them carry me all the way to Jiangnan.

They travelled thus for two days without hearing the bells again. Li Mochou had presumably kept pursuing forward without doubling back. The Daoists and Beggars’ Guild members seeking revenge on Lu Wushuang had also failed to discover her trail.

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On the third day, the party reached Longju Fortress,³ a vital transport hub between Shaanxi and Henan, bustling with commerce. After dinner, Yelü Zhu strolled into Yang Guo’s room to consult him on martial arts, piling hat after hat of flattery onto him until Yang Guo was thoroughly comfortable. Yang Guo casually offered a pointer or two. Yelü Zhu was listening with rapt attention when an attendant hurried in. “Reporting to Your Excellency. His Lordship has sent a family letter from the capital.” Yelü Zhu said happily, “Good, I’ll come at once.” He was about to rise and excuse himself when a thought struck him: I’ll receive the messenger right here in front of him, to show that I hold nothing back from him. Then he will surely be equally open when teaching me martial arts. He said to the attendant, “Have him come here to see me.”

The attendant’s face showed unease. “That… that…”

Yelü Zhu waved his hand. “It doesn’t matter. Bring him in.”

The attendant said, “It is… His Lordship himself…”

Yelü Zhu’s face hardened. “All this fussing, hurry up and…” Before he could finish, the door curtain lifted and a man walked in, laughing. “Zhu’er, you didn’t expect it to be me, did you?”

The moment Yelü Zhu saw him, shock and joy mingled on his face. He rushed forward and dropped to his knees. “Father! How is it that you, honoured elder…” The man laughed. “Indeed! I came myself.” This man was none other than Yelü Zhu’s father, Yelü Chucai, the Grand Chancellor of the Mongol Empire, known in the Mongol official system as the Director of the Secretariat.

Yang Guo heard Yelü Zhu call the man “Father.” He did not know that this man’s authority extended across ten thousand li, that he stood beneath only one man and above all others, the most powerful Grand Chancellor alive. Yang Guo studied him: he was not particularly old, his features refined and elegant, his dignified bearing tempered with a touch of kindness and warmth. An involuntary respect stirred in Yang Guo’s heart.

The man had barely settled into a chair when two more people entered and came forward to pay their respects to Yelü Zhu, calling him “Elder Brother.” One was a man of twenty-three or twenty-four. The other a woman about Yang Guo’s age. Yelü Zhu said delightedly, “Second Brother, Third Sister, you’ve all come too.” To his father he said, “Father, you left the capital and your son knew nothing of it.”

Yelü Chucai nodded. “Yes. There is a matter of great importance, if I did not come personally to oversee it, I truly could not rest easy.” He glanced at Yang Guo and the other attendants, signalling for them to withdraw.

Yelü Zhu was caught in a dilemma. He ought to wave away the attendants, but Yang Guo was a man he could not afford to offend. His face showed his hesitation. Yang Guo understood his predicament. He smiled and withdrew on his own. Yelü Chucai had already noticed that Yang Guo’s bearing was unusual. When he had entered, all the attendants had bowed in obeisance, only this one man had stood erect. And now he walked out with an air of complete independence, as though he regarded dukes and princes with contempt. Yelü Chucai’s interest was piqued. “Who is that man?” he asked Yelü Zhu.

Yelü Zhu was a high frontier official with his own command, to confess Yang Guo’s true background in front of his younger siblings would be far too humiliating. He answered vaguely, “A friend your son met on the road. Father, you have come south in person, may I ask what matter this concerns?” Yelü Chucai led his children into Yelü Zhu’s private chamber and, with a sigh, slowly explained the situation.

After the death of the Mongol Great Khan Genghis Khan, his third son Ögedei had succeeded to the throne. Ögedei had ruled as Great Khan for thirteen years before his own death, after which the Empress Naimazhen⁴ had assumed the regency and presided over the court. The Empress placed her trust in petty men and pushed aside the great generals and ministers of the previous reign. The court had fallen into disorder. Chancellor Yelü Chucai was a veteran of three reigns and a founding minister of the empire. Whenever the Empress’s measures were improper, he would remonstrate loyally and directly. The Empress, finding her decrees constantly obstructed by him, was naturally angered. But his rank was high, his reputation weighty, and what he said was always correct in principle, he could not easily be shaken. Yelü Chucai knew he had offended the Empress and that the lives of his entire household, a hundred mouths in all, hung by a thread as fragile as piled eggs. So he had submitted a memorial stating that the Henan region was unsettled and required a high minister to pacify it, volunteering himself for the mission. The Empress was overjoyed, the farther this man went, the better, so she would no longer have to endure his aggravating presence every day. She immediately approved the memorial. Thus Yelü Chucai, taking his second son Yelü Qi⁵ and third daughter Yelü Yan,⁶ had come directly to Henan, nominally on a pacification mission, in truth to escape disaster.

Yang Guo watched Yelü Chucai and the others leave his quarters and returned to his own room, where he chatted nonsense with Lu Wushuang to amuse himself. Lu Wushuang turned her head away and ignored him. After Yang Guo had teased her several times without getting a single response, he sat cross-legged and began his training.

Now Lu Wushuang felt ignored. She watched him lower his head and close his eyes, remaining motionless for what seemed like forever. “Hey, Fool,” she said, “why are you training at a time like this?” Yang Guo did not answer. Lu Wushuang said crossly, “Training can wait. Are you going to keep me company and talk or not?” She was about to reach out and tickle him when Yang Guo suddenly sprang to his feet. “Someone’s spying on the rooftop!” he said in a low voice.

Footnotes

1. 耶律铸 – Yēlǜ Zhù. His name meaning “to cast or forge”. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

2. 耶律楚材 – Yēlǜ Chǔcái. (1190–1244) Historical Khitan statesman who served as Grand Chancellor of the Mongol Empire. See Wikipedia. ↩

3. 龙驹寨 – Lóngjū Zhài. Longju Fortress, a historical market town at the strategic junction between Shaanxi and Henan provinces. Longju means dragon colt, referring to fine horses. ↩

4. 乃马真 – Nǎimǎzhēn. Empress Naimazhen (Töregene Khatun), regent of the Mongol Empire after Ögedei Khan’s death in 1241 until 1246. See Wikipedia. ↩

5. 耶律齐 – Yēlǜ Qí. His name meaning “equal” or “together”. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

6. 耶律燕 – Yēlǜ Yàn. Her name meaning “swallow”, the bird. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩