Tang Pei (simplified: 汤沛, traditional: 湯沛, pinyin: Tāng Pèi, jyutping: tong1 pui3), also known as the Seven Provinces Benefactor (甘霖惠七省) and Great Hero Tang (汤大侠), was a hypocritical martial artist and the master of the Three Talents Sword School. He was blackmailed by Yuan Ziyi and eventually killed by her. He was a significant antagonist in Side Story of the Flying Fox.
Biography
Reputation and true nature
Tang Pei was widely regarded as a benevolent and righteous martial artist, earning the epithet “Seven Provinces Benefactor” due to his extensive network of contacts and apparent willingness to help others. However, beneath this facade of respectability, he was a cunning and morally corrupt individual.
He harboured Yuan Yingu, Yuan Ziyi’s mother, after she fled from Feng Tiannan, but later violated her, leading to her suicide.
Wulin Leader Conference
Tang Pei participated in the Wulin Leader Conference orchestrated by Fukanggan and Tian Guinong. He conspired with Feng Tiannan, secretly assisting him in winning martial arts contests by using hidden silver needles in his boots.
At the conference, Yuan Ziyi exposed Tang Pei’s past crimes, revealing his hypocrisy to the assembled martial artists. She blackmailed him with knowledge of his collaboration with the Red Flower Society and his involvement in the imperial court’s schemes.
Death
During the chaos of the conference, Tang Pei attempted to escape but was intercepted by Yuan Ziyi. Despite his martial arts prowess, he was weakened by poison smoke and eventually killed by Yuan Ziyi, who avenged her mother’s death.
Personality
Tang Pei was a classic “pseudo-gentleman” villain in Jin Yong’s novels, outwardly righteous but inwardly depraved. He was manipulative, opportunistic, and cowardly, always seeking to protect his reputation while engaging in despicable acts. His character served to expose the corruption and hypocrisy that could exist within the jianghu.
Martial Arts
Tang Pei was a master of the Three Talents Sword (三才剑) and possessed considerable internal energy. He was also skilled in the use of hidden weapons, particularly his “Shadowless Silver Needles” (无影银针), which he concealed in his boots and used to secretly assist Feng Tiannan.
Relationships
- Yuan Ziyi: His killer, who sought revenge for her mother.
- Yuan Yingu: The mother of Yuan Ziyi, whom he violated, leading to her suicide.
- Feng Tiannan: His accomplice at the Wulin Leader Conference.
- Fukanggan: The Manchu general who orchestrated the conference, whom Tang Pei served.