The Heavenly Sword & the Dragon Sabre – Chapter 28 – Part 3

Ding Minjun gave a cold laugh. “My words may be ugly, but are you not afraid of ugly talk yourself, given what you have done? Are your words so much finer, then? Hmph. Just now, what did you ask the innkeeper in the guest hall? 'Trouble yourself, is there a guest surnamed Zhang lodged here? Around twenty years old, tall. Or perhaps he does not go by Zhang, but uses some other surname.'”

She pitched her voice thin and mimicked Zhou Zhiruo’s slow, measured tone, affecting an airs-and-graces coyness that made the hair on the back of one’s neck stand up.

Zhang Wuji burned with anger. He thought, That Ding Minjun is the most sharp-tongued and spiteful woman in the Emei Order. Zhou Zhiruo is gentle and soft-natured, no match for her at all. But if I step forward to back her up, first, this is the Emei Order’s own house business, and an outsider has no right to meddle. Second, it would only make her position worse. He watched her being pressed into a corner, helpless to act.

Most of the Emei disciples had originally obeyed their shifu’s dying wish and accepted Zhou Zhiruo as zhangmen.¹ But hearing Ding Minjun’s arguments, sharp and reasoned, they wondered among themselves, “Our shifu bore a grudge against the demonic cult² too deep to fathom. If Zhou shimei³ truly has some extraordinary connection with that cult’s Chief, what becomes of us if she sells our Order to the demonic cult?”

Ding Minjun continued, “Zhou shimei, you were brought into Shifu’s order by Zhang Sanfeng the Perfected One⁴ of the Wudang Order, and that young whoremonger from the demonic cult is the son of Zhang the Fifth Xia of Wudang. What strange conspiracy lies between them, no one knows.” She raised her voice. “Fellow shixiong,⁵ shijie,⁶ shidi,⁷ shimei, although Shifu left instructions naming Zhou shimei as her successor as zhangmen, she could never have foreseen that, before her bones had even grown cold, the new zhangmen of our Order would go running off to dalliance with the demonic cult’s Chief. This matter concerns the very survival of our Order. Had Shifu known of tonight’s events, she would certainly have chosen a different zhangmen. Shifu’s wish was to see our Order flourish, not to see it destroyed at the hands of the demonic cult. In my humble view, we must honour Shifu’s true intent. Zhou shimei, hand over the iron finger ring of the zhangmen, and let us choose another shijie, one whose virtue, skill, seniority and martial prowess are fit to lead our Order.”

Six or seven disciples spoke up in agreement.

Zhou Zhiruo said, “I received Shifu’s command to succeed as zhangmen. I will not hand over this ring. I truly have no desire to be zhangmen, but I swore a solemn oath before Shifu. I cannot… I must not fail her trust.” Her words came out faint and colourless, and some of those who had held themselves neutral could not help but shake their heads in silence.

Ding Minjun said sharply, “That iron finger ring, you will hand it over whether you wish to or not! Our Order’s rules forbid deception of shifu and ancestors, and forbid lewd and shameless conduct. You have broken these two foremost commandments, and still you presume to hold the Emei Order’s gate?”

Zhao Min leaned close to Zhang Wuji’s ear and whispered, “Your Miss Zhou is in trouble! Call me ‘good sister’ and I will go out and get her out of this.”

Zhang Wuji’s thoughts stirred. He knew this young woman was full of resourceful schemes and must have some clever plan to extricate Zhou Zhiruo. But she was younger than he, and calling her ‘good sister’ was far too cloying. He could not bring himself to say it. As he hesitated, Zhao Min added, “If you will not call it, I am leaving.”

Zhang Wuji had no choice. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Good sister!”

Zhao Min gave a soft snort of laughter. She was about to rise when the company in the pavilion stirred. Ding Minjun cried, “Who is there? Sneaking about in the dark, spying on us!”

Suddenly, from beyond the wall came several coughs, and a clear young woman’s voice said, “In the dead of night, what is the Emei Order sneaking about for?” A rustle of fabric swept through the air, and two more figures had appeared outside the pavilion.

The newcomers faced the moonlight, and Zhang Wuji saw them plainly. One was a hunched, ancient woman leaning on a walking stick, Jinhua Popo.⁸ The other was a graceful young woman with a shockingly ugly face: Zhu’er,⁹ daughter of Yin Yewang and Zhang Wuji’s own cousin. Some days before, Wei Yixiao had seized Zhu’er, but before reaching Bright Peak the cold poison in his body had flared. He had fought against draining her blood, until he collapsed, and later Zhou Dian had revived him. By then Zhu’er was gone, no one knew where. Zhang Wuji had missed her since they parted, and never expected to see her here, at Jinhua Popo’s side. Joy surged in him, and he almost called out.

Ding Minjun said coldly, “Jinhua Popo, what brings you here?”

Jinhua Popo asked, “Where is your shifu?”

Ding Minjun said, “Our late shifu passed away yesterday. You have been listening outside the garden for who knows how long, and now you ask a question you already know the answer to?”

Jinhua Popo cried out, “Ah, Miejue Shitai is dead! How did she die? Why did she not wait to see me once more? Alas, alas, what a pity, what a pity…” She could say no more, and bent double with coughing. Zhu’er patted her back gently, then turned to Ding Minjun with a cold smile. “Who would bother spying on your chatter? My Popo and I were passing by and heard you blabbering on and on. I recognised your voice, so we came in to have a look. Popo asked you a question, did you not hear? How did your shifu die?”

Ding Minjun said angrily, “What business is that of yours? Why should I tell you?”

Jinhua Popo drew a long breath and spoke slowly, “In all my life, I have been defeated in combat only once, and that was at your shifu’s hands. It was not that her martial skill surpassed mine, but that I could not withstand the sharpness of the Heavenly Jian. These past years I have vowed to find a blade keen enough to face your shifu once more and settle that bout. I have travelled to the ends of the earth, and at last my patience was rewarded. An old friend has agreed to lend me a treasured dao. I heard that the Emei Order had been imprisoned by the court at Wan’an Temple, and I meant to rescue your shifu and test our true skill against one another. Who would have thought that by the time I arrived, Wan’an Temple was already rubble. Alas! Fate has decreed it. Jinhua Popo will never wipe away the shame of that defeat. Miejue Shitai, oh Miejue Shitai, could you not have delayed your death by a day?”

Ding Minjun said, “If my shifu were alive now, you would only lose to her once more, and this time lose so thoroughly that you would…”

Before she could finish, crack, crack, crack, crack, four sharp slaps rang out. Ding Minjun’s vision swam and her head spun. She nearly fell. Jinhua Popo had struck her four times across both cheeks, left and right. Frail as the old woman seemed, racked with coughing, her strikes were swift beyond measure and her technique strange in the extreme. Ding Minjun had not been able to dodge or block a single blow. The two of them had been twenty feet apart, yet in the blink of an eye Jinhua Popo had closed the distance, struck four times, and withdrawn again, moving like a ghost.

Ding Minjun drew her jian in fury and rushed forward, pointing it at Jinhua Popo. “You old beggar-woman, have you truly tired of living?”

Jinhua Popo seemed not to hear the insult, nor did she appear to notice the jian at her breast. She said only, her voice flat with melancholy, “How did your shifu die?”

The point of Ding Minjun’s jian was barely three feet from Jinhua Popo’s chest. Yet she could not bring herself to thrust. She could only shout, “Old beggar-woman, why should I tell you?”

Jinhua Popo sighed. “Miejue Shitai, you were a hero of your age, a figure beyond compare in the wulin.¹⁰ Now that you are gone, is there not one worthy disciple among your order to take up the gate?”

Jingxuan Shitai stepped forward, palms pressed together. “This poor nun is Jingxuan. I pay respects to Popo. When our late shifu passed, she left instructions that Zhou shimei should succeed as zhangmen. Yet certain disciples within our Order remain unconvinced. Shifu is gone, and Popo’s wish cannot be fulfilled. Such is the great decree of fate, and what more is there to say? Our zhangmen is not yet settled, and we cannot make any engagement with Popo. But the Emei Order is a great power in the wulin, and we will not let Shifu’s name be disgraced. If Popo has any message, let her give it, and in due course our zhangmen will settle matters with Popo according to the rules of the jianghu.¹¹ But if Popo presumes upon her seniority to bully us, then even in our present grief, the Emei Order will stand against her to the last. Blood may be spilled in this ruined garden. We will die before we yield.”

Her words came measured and composed, neither servile nor defiant, and even Zhang Wuji and Zhao Min silently applauded.

Jinhua Popo’s eyes flashed. “So your respected shifu passed with instructions already given, and a successor already named. Excellent, excellent. Who is she? Pray let me see her.” Her tone was far more courteous than when she had spoken to Ding Minjun.

Zhou Zhiruo stepped forward and bowed. “May Popo have ten thousand blessings! Zhou Zhiruo, fourth-generation zhangmen of the Emei Order, asks after Popo’s health.”

Ding Minjun cried loudly, “Have you no shame, to declare yourself fourth-generation zhangmen just like that?”

Zhu’er said coldly, “This Zhou shijie is a good person. When I was in the Western Regions, she looked after me with great kindness. If she is not fit to be zhangmen, are you fit, then? One more impudent word before my Popo and see whether I do not slap you again!”

Ding Minjun flared with rage and thrust her jian at Zhu’er’s heart. Zhu’er twisted aside and struck at Ding Minjun’s face with her palm. Her movement was the same as Jinhua Popo’s, but far, far slower. Ding Minjun ducked in time, and her own thrust missed Zhu’er.

Jinhua Popo laughed. “Little fool, how many times must I teach you? Such a simple move, and still you have not learned it. Watch carefully!” Her right hand swept across and struck Ding Minjun’s left cheek, then reversed and struck the right, then swept the left again, then reversed the right, four slaps, each clearly separated, each plain for all to see. Yet Ding Minjun was held fast by some overwhelming force, her limbs unable to stir, her cheeks taking blow after blow without any power to defend. Only because Jinhua Popo had not channelled force into her palms did she escape grave injury.

Zhu’er laughed. “Popo, I have learned the hand technique, but I lack your neili. Let me try again!”

Ding Minjun was still held fast by Jinhua Popo’s power, and saw Zhu’er’s palm coming for her face once more. Rage and humiliation overwhelmed her, and she nearly fainted.

Suddenly Zhou Zhiruo darted forward, raised her left hand, and deflected Zhu’er’s palm. “Shijie, wait!” She turned to Jinhua Popo. “Popo, just now Jingxuan shijie made our position plain. In martial skill, our Order cannot match Popo’s mastery, but neither will we suffer Popo to bully our disciples at will.”

Jinhua Popo laughed. “That surnamed Ding is sharp of tooth and tongue, and every word she speaks denies you the zhangmenship. Yet you still step forward to defend her?”

Zhou Zhiruo said, “Our Order’s affairs are no concern of outsiders. Though my skill is humble, I have received Shifu’s dying command, and I will not permit an outsider to insult our disciples.”

Footnotes

1. 掌门 – zhǎngmén. Literally “gate-keeper”. The head of a martial School or Order. ↩

2. 明教 – míng jiào. Literally “Bright Order”. ↩

3. 师妹 – shīmèi. Female junior. Both apprenticed to the same shifu. Shī means teacher. Mèi means younger sister. ↩

4. 真人 – zhēnrén. Literally “true person”. Honorific title for an eminent Daoist. ↩

5. 师兄 – shīxiōng. Male senior. Both apprenticed to the same shifu. Shī means teacher. Xiōng means older brother. ↩

6. 师姐 – shījiě. Female senior. Both apprenticed to the same shifu. Shī means teacher. Jiě means older sister. ↩

7. 师弟 – shīdì. Male junior. Both apprenticed to the same shifu. Shī means teacher. Dì means younger brother. ↩

8. 金花婆婆 – Jīnhuā Pópó. Literally “Golden Flower Granny”. ↩

9. 蛛儿 – Zhū’ér. Her name meaning “Spider Child”. ↩

10. 武林 – wǔlín. Literally “martial forest”. The community of martial artists and their schools. ↩

11. 江湖 – jiānghú. Literally rivers and lakes. The itinerant world beyond settled society and official reach. ↩