The Heavenly Sword & the Dragon Sabre – Chapter 32 – Part 2

Zhang Wuji saw her smile bloom like a flower, so lovely that one could not help but be moved; yet after she had slapped her own face four times in earnest, her cheeks were still red and swollen, and looking at her roused pity as well. He turned his head away and would not look at her.

Zhao Min said, “I’ve been cooped up in the temple all day and I’m famished.” She called the serving boy in, took out a small ingot of gold, and ordered him to prepare a fine spread at once. The serving boy agreed repeatedly, and fruit and sweetmeats flowed in in a steady stream, followed presently by the wine and dishes.

Zhang Wuji said, “Let us wait for Yifu to come back and eat together.”

Zhao Min said, “The moment Xie daxia arrives, my life is forfeit. I might as well eat my fill now and become a full-bellied ghost when the time comes.”

Zhang Wuji saw that though she spoke thus, her bearing and manner were as if she feared nothing whatsoever.

Zhao Min added, “I have gold enough here. Later we can order the serving boy to lay out another banquet.”

Zhang Wuji said coldly, “I dare not eat with you again. Who knows when you’ll slip in Ten Fragrance Softening Powder¹ once more?”

Zhao Min’s face darkened, and she said, “If you will not eat, then do not eat. It saves me poisoning you.” With that, she began to eat on her own.

Zhang Wuji had the kitchen send up several flatbreads, and sat at the far end of the kang, eating by himself. On Zhao Min’s table were roast lamb and grilled chicken, fried meat and sliced fish, the dishes rich and plentiful. She ate for a while, then suddenly tears began to fall drop by drop into her rice bowl. She forced down a few more mouthfuls, cast down her chopsticks, and leaned against the table sobbing, the sound growing louder and louder. Zhang Wuji paid her no heed.

After a long while she wiped her tears dry, seeming somewhat lighter at heart. She glanced out the window and said, “It will be dark soon. That Han Lin’er, who knows where they have taken him. If we lose track of him, it will not be easy to rescue him.”

Zhang Wuji’s heart gave a start. He rose to his feet and said, “You are right. I had best go rescue Brother Han first and return.”

Zhao Min said, “Aren’t you ashamed? She was not speaking to you. Who asked you to butt in?”

Zhang Wuji, seeing her now angry, now embarrassed, now joyful, now sorrowful, felt a mingled hatred and love he could not resolve. He gulped down the remaining half of his flatbread in three mouthfuls and walked out.

Zhao Min said, “I will come with you.”

Zhang Wuji said, “I do not want you following me.”

“Why?”

“You are the one who killed my cousin. How can I travel with my enemy?”

“Very well, go alone then.”

Zhang Wuji left the room, then turned back and asked, “What are you staying here for?”

“I am waiting here for your Yifu to return, to tell him you have gone to rescue Han Lin’er.”

“My Yifu hates evil as fiercely as he hates thirst. How could he spare your life?”

Zhao Min sighed. “That is my bitter fate, I suppose. What can be done?”

Zhang Wuji considered for a moment, then said, “You had best hide yourself. Wait until I return before doing anything.”

Zhao Min shook her head. “There is nowhere for me to hide.”

“Very well. Come with me to rescue Han Lin’er, and we will come back together to confront them.”

Zhao Min laughed. “So this is you asking me to go with you, not me pestering you and refusing to leave you alone.”

Zhang Wuji said, “You are the bane of my existence. Running into you is simply my misfortune.”

Zhao Min smiled radiantly and said, “Wait a moment for me.” She drew the door shut behind her.

After quite some time, Zhao Min opened the door again. She had changed into women’s attire: a sable cloak over a crimson silk gown, her dress exceedingly splendid. Zhang Wuji had not expected her travel bundle to contain such costly garments. He thought, This woman is full of schemes. Her behaviour is truly beyond all prediction. He asked, “Where did you get those clothes?”

Zhao Min said, “The horse I rode is stabled nearby. The clothes were on its back.” She smiled faintly. “Why are you staring at me in a daze? Are my clothes good-looking?”

Zhang Wuji said, “A face like peach and plum, a heart like snake and scorpion.”

Zhao Min laughed aloud. “Many thanks, Zhang the Great Order Leader, for that eight-character appraisal.² Zhang the Great Order Leader, you too should change into something handsome.”

Zhang Wuji said, nettled, “I have worn rags since I was a child. If you find my clothes shabby, you need not travel in my company.”

Zhao Min said, “Do not be offended. I merely wish to see what you look like in fine clothes. Wait here a while. I will go and buy you a set. In any case, those beggars are taking the road east into the pass, and if we ride hard we shall not fail to catch up with them.” Without waiting for his reply, she had already glided out.

Zhang Wuji sat on the kang, his conscience accusing him. I can never be firm. This little woman plays me in the palm of her hand. It was she who killed my cousin, yet I still sit here chatting and laughing with her. Zhang Wuji, Zhang Wuji, what sort of man are you? How have you the face to call yourself Leader of the Ming Order and command the heroes of the wulin?

He waited a long time, but Zhao Min did not return. The light outside had already darkened. He thought, Why must I wait for her? I might as well go alone and rescue Han Lin’er. Then another thought came: Suppose she buys the clothes and comes back, only to run into Yifu. One palm on the crown of her head, her brains splattered, dying a violent death, her clothes and shoes scattered about the floor—at the very thought his heart clenched with dread. He sat down, then stood up, then sat down again, lost in wild imaginings, until at last a light footstep and a drifting fragrance announced Zhao Min’s return, two bundles in her arms.

Zhang Wuji said, “I have waited this long for you! There is no need to change now. Let us go after the enemy at once.”

Zhao Min smiled. “You have waited all this while, and a moment more for a change of clothes makes no difference. I have already led two mounts out. We can travel through the night.” She undid the bundle and took out clothes, trousers, shoes and socks one by one. “This is a small place with nothing good to buy. Make do with these. When we reach Dadu, we shall get you a sable robe.”

Zhang Wuji’s heart gave a lurch. He said gravely, “Miss Zhao, if you want me to be tempted by wealth and submit to the court, you may abandon that hope at once. I, Zhang Wuji, am a true-born son of Han. Even if they offered me a fief and a kingship, I would never surrender to the Mongols.”

Zhao Min sighed. “Zhang the Great Order Leader, look at this—is this Mongol clothing, or Han attire?” She held up a grey-squirrel fur robe.

Zhang Wuji saw that all the garments she had bought were in Han fashion, and nodded.

Zhao Min turned about and said, “Look at me. Do I resemble a Mongol princess, or an ordinary Han girl?”

Zhang Wuji felt his heart stir. He had noticed only the richness of her dress before, never the distinction between Mongol and Han. Now that she pointed it out, he saw that she was dressed entirely as a Han girl. Her cheeks were faintly flushed, her eyes dewy with unspoken tenderness. Suddenly he understood her meaning.

“You…you…”

Zhao Min said softly, “If your heart cannot bear to part with me, then I am satisfied. What do I care whether it is Mongol or Han? You are forever thinking of great matters of state, the distinction between Hua and Yi, the rise and fall of dynasties, power and fame. Brother Wuji, the only thing in my heart is you. Whether you are a good man or a scoundrel makes no difference to me. All my life, I shall follow you.”

Zhang Wuji was deeply moved. Hearing such words of boundless tenderness, he felt his reason reel and his heart grow dizzy. After a long pause he said, “You killed my cousin. Was it because you feared I would marry her?”

Zhao Min cried aloud, “I did not harm Miss Yin. Whether you believe it or not, those are my only words.”

Zhang Wuji sighed. “Miss Zhao, the affection you have shown me—I am not wood or stone. How could I not be grateful? But since matters have come to this pass, why do you still try to deceive me?”

Zhao Min said, “I used to think myself clever and sharp, able to get the better of everything. Who knew that the affairs of the world are so hard to foretell? Brother Wuji, we are not leaving today. You wait here for Xie daxia. I shall go to Miss Zhou’s room and wait for her.”

Zhang Wuji asked in surprise, “Why?”

“Do not ask why. You need not worry about Han Lin’er. I promise I shall see him rescued.” With that she glided out and entered Zhou Zhiruo’s room, closing the door behind her.

Zhang Wuji could not fathom her intent. He leaned against the kang and thought hard, until suddenly a notion struck him: Could she have guessed that Zhiruo and I are betrothed? Has killing my cousin not been enough, and now she schemes to harm Zhiruo as well? Could it be that after the Twin Xuanming Elders left the Maitreya Temple, they came to this inn to plot against Yifu and Zhiruo? The very thought of the Twin Xuanming Elders filled him with dread. Lu Zhangke and He Biweng were far too powerful. Even if Xie Xun’s eyes were not blind, he could not have matched either one alone.

He leapt up, went to Zhao Min’s door and said, “Miss Zhao, where are your Twin Xuanming Elders?”

Zhao Min called through the door, “They have most likely assumed I escaped back into the pass and have ridden south in pursuit.”

“Can you swear it?”

Zhao Min laughed coldly. “If you do not believe me, why ask?”

Zhang Wuji had no reply and stood rooted outside the door.

Zhao Min said, “Suppose I told you I had sent the Twin Xuanming Elders to this inn to kill Xie daxia and your beloved Miss Zhou—would you believe it?”

Those two words struck the very chord of his deepest terror. He lashed out with a kick that burst the door open, the veins standing out on his forehead, and stammered, “You…you…”

Zhao Min, seeing him in such a state, took fright herself and regretted her taunting words. She hastened to say, “I was only trying to frighten you. Nothing of the sort has happened. Do not take it seriously.”

Zhang Wuji gazed into her eyes and said slowly, “You are not afraid to come to this inn to face my Yifu. You have been calling for a confrontation with them all along. Is it because you know full well they are already dead?” He took two steps forward until they stood no more than three feet apart. One raise of his hand and he could have killed her then and there.

Zhao Min met his gaze and said steadily, “Zhang Wuji, let me tell you this: in the affairs of this world, unless one has seen a thing with one’s own eyes, one must not listen to idle talk, and one must certainly not indulge in wild speculation. If you wish to kill me, you may strike now. But when your Yifu returns safe and sound, what will you feel in your heart?”

Zhang Wuji composed himself and felt a pang of shame. He said, “So long as my Yifu is safe, all is well. You must not jest with my Yifu’s life and death.”

Zhao Min nodded. “I should not have said those things. It was my fault. Do not take offence.”

Zhang Wuji, hearing her gentle voice acknowledge her error, felt his anger soften. He gave a faint smile and said, “I too was rash and gave offence. I beg your pardon.” With that he returned to Xie Xun’s room.

But that night he waited until dawn, and still Xie Xun and Zhou Zhiruo did not return. Zhang Wuji’s dread grew with every moment. He could not sleep at all. After a hasty breakfast he consulted with Zhao Min as to where the two might have gone.

Zhao Min frowned. “This is truly strange. We might as well overtake Shi Huolong and his party and contrive to learn something.”

Zhang Wuji nodded. “We have no other choice.”

The two settled their bill and left the room, instructing the innkeeper that if Xie Xun or Zhou Zhiruo returned, they were to wait at the inn.

The serving boy led out two chestnut steeds. Zhang Wuji saw that their coats gleamed, their legs were long and their bodies strong, extremely fine horses. He could not help crying out in admiration.

Zhao Min smiled faintly and swung up into her saddle. The two rode out of the town side by side, galloping south at speed. To any onlooker, the twin chargers were like dragons, the man and woman upon them splendidly dressed and handsome in feature. One would have taken them for a young married couple of an official household, riding out together for an excursion.

Footnotes

1. 十香软筋散 – Shí Xiāng Ruǎnjīn Sǎn. Literally Ten Fragrance Softening Sinew Powder. A colourless, odourless poison that renders its victims limbless and powerless, used by the court of the Yuan Dynasty. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

2. 八字考语 – bāzì kǎoyǔ. An eight-character appraisal; a terse summary of someone’s character, playing on the notion of the eight characters of one’s birth chart. ↩