The Heavenly Sword & the Dragon Sabre – Chapter 30 – Part 4

Zhang Wuji had once heard his Grand Shifu speak of the Nine Yin Manual[^9yinzhenjing] atop Mount Wudang. He knew that Guo Xiang,[^guoxiang] the founder of the Emei Order, was the daughter of Guo Jing the xia[^xia] and that Yang Guo the Condor daxia had also mastered arts from the Manual. Yet the techniques within were so formidable that even Guo Xiang, though she was Guo Jing's own flesh and blood, had never learned them. Hearing Zhou Zhiruo ask the question, he thought, *Could it be that the Emei Order's founder did after all pass down some of the Nine Yin Manual's arts?*

Xie Xun said, “That is what the old tales say, but no one knows whether it is true. The elders spoke of it as though the art were beyond mortal skill. If anyone in our day truly mastered it and joined forces with Wuji to face the enemy, the three Persian Envoys should prove no great difficulty.” Zhou Zhiruo murmured softly and asked no more.

Zhao Min asked, “Miss Zhou, does anyone in your Emei Order know this art?” Zhou Zhiruo replied, “If anyone in the Emei Order possessed such divine skill, our late Shitai would not have perished in Wan’an Temple.”¹ The root of Miejue Shitai’s death lay with Zhao Min, and Zhou Zhiruo hated her with a fury so deep that day and night, through wind and rain, she had never exchanged a single word with her. Now that Zhao Min asked her directly, she retorted with a sharp rebuke. Her nature was gentle and refined. To speak in such a manner was the most discourteous words she had ever addressed to another. Zhao Min was not offended. She merely smiled.

Zhang Wuji rowed without pause, then suddenly gazed into the distance and cried, “Look, look! There is firelight over there.”

The rest followed his gaze and saw, where sea and sky met in the north-west, a faint flicker of flame. Though Xie Xun could not see, his heart leapt with the same joy and astonishment as the others. He seized a plank and rowed with all his might. The fire seemed close, but out on the open sea it was in truth several dozen li² away. The two of them rowed for a long while before it gradually drew near. Zhang Wuji saw that where the flames rose, mountains stood tall. It was Spirit Snake Island.³ “We’re back!” he said.

Xie Xun suddenly cried, “Aiya! Why is Spirit Snake Island ablaze? Could they be burning Lady Han⁴ alive?”

A splash sounded, and Xiaozhao collapsed upon the bow. Zhang Wuji started in alarm, leapt to her side and raised her up. Her eyes were closed. She had fainted. He hastened to press her renzhong⁵ acupoint to revive her, and asked, “Xiaozhao, what is the matter?”

Tears brimmed in Xiaozhao’s eyes. “I heard they meant to burn someone to death. I… I was frightened.” Zhang Wuji consoled her, “That is only my adopted father’s surmise. It need not be so. Even if Lady Han has fallen into their hands, if we hurry now, we shall most likely reach her in time to save her.” Xiaozhao caught his hand and begged, “Young Master, I implore you. You must save Lady Han’s life.” Zhang Wuji said, “We shall all do our utmost.” So saying, he returned to the stern, seized the oar, roused his neili⁶ and rowed faster than before. Xiaozhao took up an oar too, and though her hands trembled, she rowed with all her strength.

Zhao Min spoke suddenly. “Young Master Zhang, there are two matters I have pondered long and cannot understand. I must ask your instruction.” Zhang Wuji, surprised that she had turned so formal, asked, “What matters?” Zhao Min said, “That day outside Green Willow Manor,⁷ I sent men to attack your honoured grandfather, Yang the Left Messenger and the rest. It was this young lady Xiaozhao who marshalled the troops to resist us. Truly, ‘Beneath a strong general, no weak soldiers.’ A mere maidservant in the Ming Order’s custody should possess such extraordinary talent. Remarkable…” Xie Xun broke in, “What Ming Order?”

Zhao Min laughed, “Old sir, I shall tell you now. Your adopted son is in truth the revered zhangmen⁸ of the Ming Order. You are, after all, his subordinate.” Xie Xun, half-believing and half-doubting, could not speak for a moment. Zhao Min then related how Zhang Wuji had come to lead the Order in brief, though many particulars she did not know herself. Pressed by Xie Xun’s questions, Zhang Wuji could conceal the matter no longer and was obliged to tell how the six great factions had besieged Bright Peak⁹ and how he had obtained the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth¹⁰ in the secret passage.

Xie Xun was overjoyed. He rose to his feet and kowtowed within the cabin. “Your humble servant, Xie Xun the Golden Haired Lion King, pays respects to the zhangmen.”

Zhang Wuji hastened to kneel and return the courtesy. “Adopted father, pray rise. Order Leader Yang’s¹¹ dying wish was that you should hold the post in interim. I have been labouring beneath the burden of the office, and Heaven’s mercy has brought you back unharmed. It is the fortune of our Order. When we return to the Central Plains, the zhangmen’s seat is yours by right.” Xie Xun said, his voice bleak, “Your adopted father has indeed returned, but his eyes are blind. ‘Unharmed’ can no longer be said of me. How can a blind man lead the Ming Order? Miss Zhao, what were the two matters you could not understand?”

Zhao Min said, “I wished to ask Miss Xiaozhao: who taught you those arts of the Eight Trigrams and the Five Elements? You are young, yet how did you come by such extraordinary skill?”

Xiaozhao said, “It is my family’s art, hardly worthy of the Princess’s notice.” Zhao Min pressed on, “Who is your honoured father? A daughter so accomplished must have parents famed throughout the world as masters.” Xiaozhao replied, “My father has buried his name and hidden his identity. Why should the Princess trouble to ask? Do you mean to cut off my fingers and force the truth from me?” Young as she was, she gave Zhao Min not a hair’s breadth in words, and the enmity in her heart was plainly no less. In mentioning the cutting of fingers, she plainly sought to rouse Zhou Zhiruo’s fellow hatred.

Zhang Wuji, unwilling to see their conflict sharpen further, turned the subject and asked Zhao Min, “And what is the other matter you could not understand?” Zhao Min smiled. “That night we met again at the small wineshop in the Great Capital, Bitter Dhūta Fan Yao came to bid me farewell. When he saw Miss Xiaozhao, he said something. What was it?” Zhang Wuji had long forgotten the matter. Hearing her raise it, he considered and said, “I believe the Bright Right Messenger said Xiaozhao’s face strongly resembled someone he knew.” Zhao Min said, “Indeed. Can you guess whom Fan Yao said Miss Xiaozhao resembled?” Zhang Wuji said, “How could I?”

As they spoke, the small boat drew yet closer to Spirit Snake Island. Along its western shore stood a row of great ships, each bearing on its white sail a vast red flame painted there, with black pennons fluttering above. Zhao Min said, “Let us row round to the island’s rear, find a hidden landing and not let them see us.” Zhang Wuji nodded. “Yes.”

They had rowed scarce thirty or forty feet when suddenly from the great ships a horn wailed, followed by two booming reports. Two cannonballs flew towards them, one landing to port, one to starboard. Columns of water erupted, the small boat lurched violently and all but capsized. A voice from the great ships called, “The approaching boat, row over at once. If you disobey the commander’s order, you shall be sunk on the spot.” Zhang Wuji cursed inwardly, knowing those two shots had been deliberate, fired on either side to demonstrate their aim. At such close range the enemy could strike true with ease. One direct hit and all six of them would perish. There was nothing for it but to row the small boat slowly across.

The cannons on three enemy ships turned slowly to bear upon them. As the small boat drew close, a rope ladder was lowered from the great ship. Zhang Wuji said, “Let us board and seize our chance to take the ship.” Xie Xun felt for the rope ladder and was first up onto the great ship. Zhou Zhiruo said nothing. She bent and lifted Yin Li in her arms and climbed the ladder. Xiaozhao followed. Zhang Wuji, carrying Zhao Min, was last. Upon the deck he saw a company of yellow-haired, green-eyed men, tall of stature, all Persian foreigners. The three Envoys were not among them.

A Persian man who could speak Chinese asked, “Who are you? What brings you here?” Zhao Min said, “We were shipwrecked upon the sea. Our vessel sank. We are grateful for the rescue.” The Persian man, half-convinced, turned and spoke several words of Persian to the chief seated in the chair at the centre of the deck. The chief barked orders in Persian to his men.

Without warning, Xiaozhao leapt into the air and struck with her palm towards the chief. Startled, he twisted aside and seized his chair, hurling it at her. Zhang Wuji had not expected Xiaozhao to move so swiftly. He sidestepped forward three feet, extended his finger and paralysed the chief. At once the several dozen Persians on deck fell into uproar, drawing their weapons and closing in. Though all of them possessed martial skill, they were as nothing compared with the three Envoys. Zhang Wuji, his right hand supporting Yin Li, struck left and right with his free hand. Xie Xun wielded the Dragon-Slaying Dao,¹² Zhou Zhiruo swung her jian, and with Xiaozhao’s nimble form darting among them, in moments the several dozen Persians were dealt with. A dozen or more lay hacked upon the deck, seven or eight had fallen into the sea, and the rest were all paralysed at their acupoints.

In an instant, shouting and horns blared in confusion from the shore. The other Persian ships closed in, and their crews would have swarmed aboard to fight. Zhang Wuji seized the Persian chief, leapt onto the crossbeam and called in a clear voice, “Whoever dares come up, I shall kill this man with a single palm.” The men upon the other ships shouted loudly. Zhang Wuji did not understand a word, but seeing none dare board, he judged the captive must be a person of consequence and the enemy hesitated to attack.

He leapt back to the deck and had only set down the chief when suddenly behind him came a metallic ring, a weapon striking towards him. He twisted aside to avoid it and kicked backwards. A Holy Fire Tablet¹³ flew at his face, and from the left another swept sideways. Zhang Wuji cursed inwardly, thinking the three Envoys had arrived with startling speed. “Everyone, back into the cabin!” he cried. He seized the Persian chief and thrust him towards one of the Tablets.

The Bright Moon Messenger hastened to withdraw her Tablet, but the recall was rushed and her lower stance left an opening. Zhang Wuji swept his leg sideways and nearly struck her shin. The Drifting Cloud Messenger and Mysterious Wind Messenger pressed in from either side, forcing him to miss. At the ninth exchange, the Mysterious Wind Messenger’s left hand swung her Holy Fire Tablet in a strange, slanting arc, the move bizarre and aimed squarely at Zhang Wuji’s lower abdomen. He sank the Persian chief’s body downwards. The Mysterious Wind Messenger’s strike was peculiar, but Zhang Wuji’s counter was no less cunning. With a sharp crack, the Holy Fire Tablet struck full upon the Persian man’s left cheek. All three Envoys cried out in shock, their faces altered. They leapt back together, exchanged several words in Persian, then suddenly bowed deeply towards the Persian in Zhang Wuji’s hands with every sign of reverence, and withdrew.

At once horns sounded in answer from every quarter. A great ship steamed slowly towards them, twelve embroidered golden banners planted upon its deck. Twelve tiger-skin chairs stood upon the deck. One was empty, and the other eleven were occupied. The great ship halted when it drew near. Zhao Min, seeing the empty chair placed sixth, understood at once. “The man we captured wears the same dress as those eleven upon the great ship. He must be one of their twelve great chiefs, and he ranks sixth.” Xie Xun said, “Twelve great chiefs? Then all twelve Guardian Kings¹⁴ of the Head Temple have come to the Central Plains. This is grave indeed.”

Zhao Min asked, “What are the Twelve Guardian Kings?” Xie Xun said, “Beneath the zhangmen of the Persian Head Temple serve twelve great scripture-masters, called the Twelve Guardian Kings, equal in rank and station to the four Guardian Kings of the Central Plains’ Ming Order. Of the Twelve Guardian Kings: first, the Great Sage; second, Wisdom; third, Ever-Victorious; fourth, Fire-Warden; fifth, Diligence; sixth, Equality; seventh, Faith; eighth, Demon-Queller; ninth, Uprightness; tenth, Merit; eleventh, Unity; twelfth, Transparent Wisdom. The Twelve Guardian Kings are learned in the doctrines and versed in the classics. I am told they are not necessarily supreme in martial skill. This man ranks sixth, so he is the Equality Guardian King.”

Zhang Wuji sat beside the mast and laid the Equality Guardian King across his knees. The man held high station in the Persian Head Temple. If their party were to escape alive, they must needs use him as their lever. He looked down and saw the man’s left cheek swollen high, but it was no mortal wound, it seemed the Mysterious Wind Messenger, realising her error mid-strike, had withdrawn her force, and the man himself possessed considerable neili wherewith to resist.

Zhou Zhiruo and Xiaozhao cleared the deck of Persians. The dead they bore into the aft cabin, and the living they laid in a row. A dozen or more great Persian ships surrounded them on every side, their cannons aimed at Zhang Wuji’s vessel. Upon each ship’s rail stood Persians in ranks, their dao and jian flashing in the torchlight, countless in number. Zhang Wuji’s heart sank. Never mind the ships opening fire, if those hundreds swarmed aboard at once, he could not hold them off with three heads and six arms. Even if his supreme martial arts could win him free, he could never shield the rest. Yin Li and Zhao Min were both wounded, and the danger to them was yet greater.

A Persian man’s voice rang out in Chinese, “Let the Golden Haired Lion King hear this. All twelve Guardian Kings of our Head Temple are present. For your offences against the Head Temple, the Guardian Kings are willing to show mercy. Surrender at once the Head Temple’s brethren aboard your ship, and you may sail away.” Xie Xun laughed, “Xie is no three-year-old child. If we release our captives, will your ships’ cannons not fire upon us?” The man retorted angrily, “Even if you do not release them, can our cannons not fire?”

Footnotes

1. 万安寺 – Wàn’ān Sì. Wan’an Temple. A temple in the Great Capital where the orthodox factions’ leaders were imprisoned by Zhao Min and where many perished. ↩

2. 里 – lǐ. A Chinese unit of distance, approximately 500 metres or one-third of a mile. ↩

3. 灵蛇岛 – Língshé Dǎo. Spirit Snake Island. An island in the eastern sea, base of operations for Yin Yewang and the Tianying Order. ↩

4. 韩千叶之妻 – Hán Qiānyè zhī Qī. Lady Han, wife of Han Qianye the Silver Leaf Gentleman and mother of Xiaozhao. She was also the Sacred Maiden of the Persian Ming Order, Daiqisi. ↩

5. 人中 – rénzhōng. The renzhong acupoint, located in the philtrum beneath the nose. A key revival point for restoring consciousness. ↩

6. 内力 – nèilì. Internal force. The kinetic manifestation of qi cultivated through neigong practice. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

7. 绿柳庄 – Lǜliǔ Zhuāng. Green Willow Manor. The estate of the Shenquan School, where Zhang Wuji first encountered Zhao Min. ↩

8. 掌门 – zhǎngmén. The leader of a martial arts school or order. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

9. 光明顶 – Guāngmíng Dǐng. Bright Peak. The headquarters of the Ming Order in the Kunlun Mountains. ↩

10. 乾坤大挪移 – Qiánkūn Dà Nuóyí. The Great Shift of Heaven and Earth. The supreme secret art of the Ming Order, capable of redirecting force, reversing qi flow, and manipulating the trajectory of attacks. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

11. 阳顶天 – Yáng Dǐngtiān. Yang Dingtian. Former zhangmen of the Ming Order, who disappeared in the secret passage beneath Bright Peak. ↩

12. 屠龙刀 – Túlóng Dāo. The Dragon-Slaying Dao. A legendary weapon forged from Yang Guo’s Heavy Iron Sword, containing the secrets to supreme martial power. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

13. 圣火令 – Shènghuǒ Lìng. The Holy Fire Tablets. Twelve golden tablets of the Ming Order, symbols of authority. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

14. 宝树王 – Bǎoshù Wáng. Guardian Kings. The twelve highest-ranking scripture-masters of the Persian Ming Order’s Head Temple. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩