The Heavenly Sword & the Dragon Sabre – Chapter 31 – Part 4

Zhang Wuji felt cold sweat break out over his entire body, every hair standing on end. He said in a trembling voice, “Then… then why?” Zhou Zhiruo said, “My shifu forced me to draw close to you, yet forbade me to truly care for you, to treat you as a husband. The reason was… the reason was that she wanted me to harm you in secret…” Zhang Wuji understood at once. That day atop the high tower at Wan'an Monastery, Miejue Shitai had forced Ji Xiaofu to kill Yang Xiao, and the very same trick it was. His mind cleared, and the fear and confusion left him. He said, “Then you refused to swear the oath?”

Zhou Zhiruo said, “My shifu knelt before me. If I did not agree, she would not rise. I had no choice, and so I followed her words and swore that oath. Wuji gege, my heart was wholly set on marrying you. My heart was wholly set on kissing you and loving you. I would never harm you by so much as a hair’s breadth. But whenever I thought of the oath my shifu made me swear, my heart grew terribly uneasy.” Zhang Wuji drew her closer in his arms and said softly, “Since you have told me this, naturally you would not harm me. Otherwise, would you not be giving me even more cause for suspicion?”

Zhou Zhiruo said, “Then what am I to do, having sworn this poison oath?” Zhang Wuji said, “It was your shifu who forced you to swear it. It does not count. Zhiruo, let me tell you something. That day at Wan’an Monastery, Miss Zhao threatened to slash your beautiful face with her jian. I was so anxious at the time that I made an oath in my heart. Can you guess what it was?” Zhou Zhiruo said, “You must have vowed, like Bat King Wei, to avenge me by slashing Miss Zhao’s face in turn.” Zhang Wuji shook his head. “No. At the time I said to myself, ‘If I cannot save this girl now, and her beauty is destroyed, even if she becomes as ugly as an ogre, may Heaven above bear witness: I, Zhang Wuji, will marry this girl regardless. I will love her, cherish her, and shield her from harm. Whichever girl truly cares for me, I shall truly care for her in return. Beauty or ugliness matters not at all…’”

Suddenly a woman’s voice drifted from behind the rocks, “Eh, Aniu gege, really?” Zhang Wuji started. The voice seemed like Yin Li’s. He leapt to his feet and called out, “Cousin Li, is that you?” Zhou Zhiruo cried, “A ghost, a ghost!” She threw herself into his arms, trembling all over. Zhang Wuji held her close, not sparing a glance to find who had spoken, and comforted her, “Do not be afraid, do not be afraid. It is not A-Li.”

In the moonlight he saw Zhou Zhiruo’s face deathly pale, her whole body shaking, her hands gripping his arms. He felt her palms ice-cold, and she was plainly terrified. He sat down gently, still holding her. After a long while Zhou Zhiruo slowly calmed, and said in a trembling voice, “Miss Yin is plainly dead. We buried her ourselves. How can she come and speak?” Zhang Wuji said, “I must have misheard. It was the wind in the leaves. I spoke of a face slashed and made ugly, and my thoughts turned to my cousin. I have frightened you.”

Zhou Zhiruo wept, “My shifu said that if I truly loved you, she would become a vengeful ghost and make my whole life one of unease, day and night. Could it be that just now my shifu came to frighten me? My shifu also said that if I bore you children…” Zhang Wuji cut in loudly, “Zhang Wuji and Zhou Zhiruo, when they wed, the sons born to them shall be righteous and strong in martial arts, the daughters clever and beautiful and beloved. How could there be any notion of slavery or whoredom?” Zhou Zhiruo was overjoyed. She threw herself into his arms and said, “Wuji gege, may it be as you say. Then I am at ease!”

The following day Zhang Wuji employed the Nine Yang Divine Skill¹ to help Zhou Zhiruo drive out the poison. It went more smoothly than he had expected, for she had eaten little and the venom had not penetrated so deeply as it had in him and Xie Xun. After several days Zhou Zhiruo said her neili had fully returned and her body showed no further ill effect. The poison, it seemed, had been driven away entirely.

Thus the months passed. One day the peach trees on the eastern side of the island were in splendid bloom. Zhang Wuji broke off several branches and went to set them before Yin Li’s grave. He saw the wooden plank carved Beloved Wife Zhu’er, Yin Li lying toppled on the ground, knocked over perhaps by some wild beast. He picked it up and set it straight again, and thought how his cousin had known hardship all her life, and had perhaps not enjoyed a single day of happiness.

He was still grieving when he heard the gulls over the sea crying loudly. He looked up and saw in the distance a sailing vessel making for the island under full canvas. Overjoyed, he shouted, “Sworn father, Zhiruo, there is a ship! There is a ship!” Xie Xun and Zhou Zhiruo heard his cry and ran to his side in turn. Zhou Zhiruo said in a trembling voice, “How can a ship come to this deserted island?” Zhang Wuji said, “It is passing strange. Could it be a pirate vessel?”

In less than half a shichen² the sailing vessel had dropped anchor beyond the reef, and a small boat was rowing towards the island. The three of them went down to the beach to meet it. They saw that the sailors in the boat wore the uniforms of the Mongol navy. Zhang Wuji’s mind stirred. Could it be that Miss Zhao’s conscience has pricked her, and she has returned to the island? He glanced sideways at Zhou Zhiruo and saw her brows drawn together, her breast rising and falling. She too was plainly troubled.

The small boat reached the shore in moments. Five sailors stepped onto the beach. The leading officer, a Mongol naval commander, bowed to Zhang Wuji and said, “Might you be Young Master Zhang Wuji?” He spoke in Chinese. Zhang Wuji said, “I am. Who might you be, Officer?” The man, hearing Zhang Wuji confirm his identity, showed great relief, and said, “My humble name is Basutai. To find Young Master today is the greatest of good fortune. I have been sent to welcome Young Master Zhang and Xie daxia back to the Central Plains.” He named only Zhang Wuji and Xie Xun, making no mention of Zhou Zhiruo or Yin Li. Zhang Wuji said, “The Officer has travelled far at great trouble. Might I ask who has sent you?” Basutai said, “I serve under Admiral Lushui of the garrison in Fujian, and have come by order of General Bo’erduosi. The General has dispatched eight warships to search the waters of Fujian, Zhejiang and Guangdong for Young Master and Xie daxia. It seems Fortune has granted the first prize to me.” His meaning was plain: his superior had promised promotion and reward to whichever man found Zhang Wuji.

Zhang Wuji heard that the Mongol generals he named were all strangers to him, and supposed they had received Zhao Min’s orders through several intermediaries. He asked, “Do you know why your superior has sent you to fetch me?” Basutai said, “General Bo’erduosi gave orders that Young Master Zhang is a personage of the first importance, a hero and brave man of the age, and commanded me to serve him well upon finding him. As for the reason for this summons, I am of too low a rank for the General to confide in me.”

Zhou Zhiruo broke in, “Is it by the Lady of Shaomin’s command?” Basutai started. “The Lady of Shaomin? I have had no fortune to set eyes on her.” Zhou Zhiruo said coldly, “What fortune?” Basutai said, “The Lady of Shaomin is the foremost beauty of our Mongol people, no, the foremost beauty of all the world. She is accomplished in both letters and martial arts, and is the daughter of the Prince of Ruyang. How could one so lowly as I merit the honour of beholding her face?” Zhou Zhiruo snorted and said no more.

Zhang Wuji said to Xie Xun, “Sworn father, shall we board the ship?” Xie Xun said, “Let us fetch our belongings from the cave. Then we shall board. Officer, pray wait here.” Basutai said, “Allow my men and me to carry your luggage.” Xie Xun smiled. “What luggage have we? We would not trouble you.” He took Zhang Wuji’s and Zhou Zhiruo’s hands and walked round to the back of the mountain. He said, “Zhao Min has suddenly sent a ship to fetch us back. There must be some scheme at work. What do you think we should do?”

Zhang Wuji said, “Sworn father, do you think Zhao… do you think Zhao Min… will she be on the ship?” Xie Xun said, “If that little heretic³ were on board, it would be easier to deal with. We need only watch what we eat and drink, and avoid falling into her traps again.” Zhang Wuji said, “Yes. We will take the salted fish and dried fruit we have stored and bring them aboard, with fresh water. We will not touch a thing from the ship.” Xie Xun said, “I am certain Zhao Min is not on board. She means to play the same trick she played on the Persians, to lure us aboard, and when we are on the high seas, the Mongol warships will appear and sink our vessel with cannon.”

Zhang Wuji felt a pang of anguish and said in a trembling voice, “Could she… could her heart be so cruel? She stranded us on this island to live or die as we may, never to return to the Central Plains, and that would be the end of it. The three of us have done her no wrong.” Xie Xun laughed coldly. “You released all the masters of the six orthodox factions she had imprisoned in Wan’an Monastery. Do you suppose she does not bear a grudge? Besides, the Ming Order’s leader has vanished. At this moment the men of the Order must be searching far and wide, and there is no saying they will not find this island. Only by sinking us to the bottom of the sea is the root torn out.”

Zhang Wuji said, “Sink the ship with cannon? Would that not kill Basutai and all those Mongol soldiers for nothing?” Xie Xun gave a short laugh, then sighed. “Wuji, my boy, those who bear the weight of state and army, how do they treasure human life? If one were as tender-hearted as you, how could the Mongols have swept across the four seas and overrun a hundred kingdoms? Since ancient times, which hero who founded a great enterprise has not been swift to decide and swift to kill? Never mind a handful of soldiers. A man will sacrifice his own parents and children if need be.”

Zhang Wuji was silent for a long while, then said bleakly, “Sworn father is right.” He had always known that the Mongols were cruel and brutal to their enemies, but had supposed they must cherish their own followers. Hearing Xie Xun’s words, he felt chilled to the bone. He saw now that even if he could return to the Central Plains and lead the heroes of the wulin to drive out the Mongols, the governing of the realm and the bringing of peace was neither within his power nor within his wish.

Zhou Zhiruo said, “Sworn father, what should we do?” Xie Xun said, “What clever scheme has my daughter-in-law?” Zhou Zhiruo said, “Then let us not board the ship. We can tell the Mongol officer that we are very comfortable here and have no wish to return to the Central Plains.” Xie Xun laughed, “A foolish plan from a foolish head. Even if we do not board, the enemy will not let us be. Even if we killed every soldier on this ship, could they not send ten more, or eight? Besides, there are great matters in the Central Plains that need Wuji’s attention. How can we let him grow old and die on this barren island?” Zhou Zhiruo’s lovely face flushed crimson. She said in a low voice, “Let sworn father devise a plan. We will follow your instructions.”

Xie Xun considered for a moment, then said, “It must be thus and thus.” Zhang Wuji and Zhou Zhiruo heard his scheme and both praised it as excellent.

Zhang Wuji went to Yin Li’s grave and offered a prayer, then took his leave with tears. Only then did they board the great ship. He searched the cabins and the deck from end to end, and indeed Zhao Min was not aboard, nor was there any figure of note. The soldiers and sailors appeared to be men without martial arts.

Once the ship weighed anchor and set sail, it had travelled scarcely several hundred feet when Zhang Wuji reversed his palm and seized Basutai’s right wrist. With his other hand he drew the officer’s own dao from his belt and held it to the back of his neck, roaring, “You will obey my orders. Command the helmsman to steer east!” Basutai was greatly alarmed, and stammered, “Young Master… Young Master, I would never dare offend you.” Zhang Wuji said, “You will do as I say. The slightest defiance and I will take your head.” Basutai said, “Yes, yes!” and shouted, “Helms… helmsman! Steer… steer east at once!” The helmsman turned the wheel as commanded. The ship swept past the little island and bore east.

Footnotes

1. 九阳神功 – Jiǔyáng Shéngōng. Literally Nine Yang Divine Skill. A legendary internal cultivation method emphasising pure yang energy. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

2. 时辰 – shíchén. A two-hour period; the traditional Chinese day is divided into twelve shichen. ↩

3. 妖人 – yāorén. Heretic. The orthodox martial artists’ term for a member of the Ming Order, charging doctrinal deviance. ↩