The Heavenly Sword & the Dragon Sabre – Chapter 32 – Part 6

Those two delays had given the two trailing riders time to arrive. They were Chen Youliang and the Palm-Bowl Dragon Head[^zhangbo] of the Beggars' Guild. Zhang Wuji was puzzled: *The three of them went together to Changbai Mountain to search for poisons to compound a drug. Why are two chasing one, and how did they end up here?* Then he understood: *Eldest Brother Song must have had a change of heart, unwilling to commit this unfilial, unrighteous act. Fortunately he's run into me. I can save him.*

Chen Youliang and the Palm-Bowl Dragon Head dismounted. They assumed Song Qingshu’s horse, after long hard riding, had simply stumbled from exhaustion, throwing its rider. But Song Qingshu’s martial arts were not weak. Even if injured, the wound must be minor. They advanced on him, weapons drawn, pointing at his body.

Zhang Wuji nocked another pellet of ice between his fingers, about to hurl it at Chen Youliang, when Zhao Min touched his arm and shook her head. Zhang Wuji turned to her. Zhao Min opened her left palm, held it beside her ear, then pointed at Song Qingshu. She meant: Let us hear what they have to say first.

The Palm-Bowl Dragon Head raged, “Surname Song, you slip away in the night. What are you planning? Going to tip off your father?” He waved his Purple-Gold Eight-Trigrams Dao¹ above Song Qingshu’s head, making as if to chop down.

Song Yuanqiao heard the wind of the Eight-Trigrams Dao’s feinted strikes. Anxious for his beloved son’s safety, he was sorely distressed. Zhang Wuji happened to glance back and saw the anxiety in his eyes transform in an instant into entreaty. He nodded, signalling, Rest easy. I shall not let Eldest Brother Song come to harm. He thought, A parent’s love for his child is as deep as Heaven and as vast as the earth. Grand Shibo is furious with me, wishes to cut me into a thousand pieces, yet the moment Eldest Brother Song is in danger, he begs me for mercy at once. If it were Grand Shibo himself in trouble, with his hero’s pride he would never show a shred of weakness or entreaty. In that instant he thought too of Song Qingshu, who had someone to care for him, while he himself was a fatherless, motherless orphan, and a sharp ache rose in his heart.

Song Qingshu said, “I am not going to tip off my father.”

The Palm-Bowl Dragon Head demanded, “The Guild Chief ordered you to accompany me to Changbai Mountain to gather herbs. Why did you leave without a word?”

Song Qingshu said, “You too are born of parents. You force me to harm my own father. How can your conscience bear it? I will have no part in such a beastly deed.”

The Palm-Bowl Dragon Head said fiercely, “You are determined to defy the Guild Chief’s orders? Do you know what happens to traitors of the Guild?”

Song Qingshu said, “I am the greatest sinner under heaven. I never wished to live. These past days, whenever I close my eyes, I see Seventh Uncle Mo coming to demand my life. His wronged spirit will not rest. It has latched onto me. Kill me. I thank you for granting my wish.”

The Palm-Bowl Dragon Head raised the Eight-Trigrams Dao. “Fine! I’ll grant it!”

Chen Youliang interposed, “Dragon Head Brother, since Brother Song refuses, killing him serves no purpose. Let us leave him be.”

The Palm-Bowl Dragon Head was astonished. “Just let him go?”

Chen Youliang said, “Indeed. He killed his own shishu² Mo Shenggu with his own hands. Let someone of his own Order deal with him. The filthy blood of such an unrighteous wretch would only foul the weapons of righteous men.”

That day in the Maitreya Temple, Zhang Wuji had heard Chen Youliang and Song Qingshu speak of Mo Shenggu, with words about “a junior offending a senior.” He had suspected Song Qingshu of offending his shishu, but he had never imagined that Mo Shenggu had actually died at his hand. Though Song Yuanqiao and the other three had their line of sight blocked by the rocks, Song Qingshu’s words with the two Beggars’ Guild men reached their ears clearly, and all of them were profoundly shocked. Only Zhao Min, who had already guessed part of this beforehand, wore a faint look of disdain at the corner of her lips.

Song Qingshu said, his voice trembling, “Brother Chen, you swore you would never reveal this matter. If you say nothing, how could my father and my shishus ever find out?”

Chen Youliang gave a faint smile and said coldly, “You remember my oath, but you have forgotten the terrible oath you yourself swore? You said that from now on, you would follow all my instructions. Who broke his promise first, you, or I?”

Song Qingshu was silent for a long while, then said, “You want me to poison Grand Shifu’s and my father’s food and drink. I would rather die. Kill me with your jian at once.”

Chen Youliang said, “Brother Song, there is a saying: he who recognises the times is a true hero. We are not asking you to destroy your ancestral temple or murder your father. We only want you to administer a sedative and let them lie unconscious for a while. Did you not agree to this already in the Maitreya Temple?”

Song Qingshu said, “No, no! I agreed to a sedative only. But the Palm-Bowl Dragon Head caught highly poisonous vipers and centipedes. Those are killing poisons, not common sleeping draughts!”

Chen Youliang sheathed his jian at his leisure and said, “Miss Zhou of the Emei Order is as beautiful as an immortal maiden, and there is not a second like her in this world. Yet you are content to let her fall into the hands of that Zhang Wuji brat. Most curious. Brother Song, that night you went peeping into the chambers of the Emei women and your Seventh Uncle caught you and pursued you all the way down, leading to the duel on the stone ridge and the killing of your shishu. What was that for, if not for this gentle and beautiful Miss Zhou? The deed is done. You cannot turn back now. A horse in a narrow lane. Can it turn its head? I see you have raised a mountain nine-ren high, only to falter one basket short.³ A pity, a pity!”

Song Qingshu rose to his feet, swaying, and said angrily, “Elder Chen, you use cunning words to pressure me. That night Seventh Uncle Mo caught up with me. I could not match him. I had disgraced the Wudang Order’s good name. Had I died at his hands, it would have ended everything at a stroke. Who asked you to intervene and save me? I fell into your treacherous scheme, and now I am ruined past recall.”

Chen Youliang laughed. “Very well, very well! The Heaven-Shaking Iron Palm⁴ that struck Mo Shenggu in the back. Was that your doing, or mine? That is Wudang Order kung fu, is it not? I do not know such a technique. That night I saved your life and preserved your reputation. I did the wrong thing, perhaps? Brother Song, we have known each other a long while. Let us speak no more of what is past. I shall keep my lips sealed about your killing of your shishu. Not a single word shall pass them. The mountains are high and the waters long. We shall meet again.”

Song Qingshu asked, his voice trembling, “Brother Chen… Brother Chen, what… what do you intend to do with me?” His words were thick with anxiety.

Chen Youliang laughed. “What do I intend to do with you? Nothing at all. Let me show you something. What is this?”

Zhang Wuji and Zhao Min, hiding behind the rock, both wanted to crane their necks and see what Chen Youliang had taken out, but they restrained themselves. They heard Song Qingshu cry out in alarm, “That… that is the Emei Order zhangmen’s iron ring, Miss Zhou’s ring. Where… where did you get it?”

Zhang Wuji was startled too. He thought, When Zhiruo and I parted, she was plainly wearing the zhangmen’s iron ring on her finger. How can it have fallen into Chen Youliang’s hands? It must be a forgery, made to deceive.

But they heard Chen Youliang give a soft laugh and say, “Look carefully. Is it real or false?” After a pause Song Qingshu said, “When I was in the Western Regions, I discussed martial arts with Miejie Shitai. I saw this ring on her finger. It appears to be genuine.” A sharp clang rang out, metal striking metal. Chen Youliang said, “If it were a forgery, one stroke of my jian would have cut it in two. Look inside the ring. The four characters ‘Bequeathed to Maiden Xiang’⁵ cannot be false. This is the Heavy Iron Ring, the relic of Guo nüxia,⁶ the founder of the Emei Order.” Song Qingshu said, “Brother Chen, where… where did you obtain it? And Miss Zhou, where is she?”

Chen Youliang gave another laugh and said, “Palm-Bowl Dragon Head, let us go. The Beggars’ Guild wants nothing more to do with this man.” Footsteps sounded as the two turned to leave. Song Qingshu called, “Brother Chen, wait! Is Miss Zhou in your hands?”

Chen Youliang walked back, smiling. “Indeed. Miss Zhou is in my hands. A beauty so lovely. There is not a man under heaven whose heart does not stir at the sight. I have no wife as yet. If I petition the Guild Chief to bestow Miss Zhou upon me as my wife, I dare say he would consent.” Song Qingshu made a gurgling sound in his throat, as though choked speechless.

Chen Youliang continued, “Now, a gentleman does not take what another man desires. Brother Song went through a world of trouble for this Miss Zhou. How could I, Chen Youliang, wreck the brotherhood between us for the sake of a pretty face? But you have become a traitor to our Guild. The bond between us is severed. There is nothing more to be said, is there?” Song Qingshu made some inaudible sound.

Zhang Wuji glanced at Song Yuanqiao and saw two lines of tears running down his cheeks. Plainly his grief was beyond bearing.

Suddenly Song Qingshu said, “Brother Chen, Dragon Head Brother, it was I who was foolish. I beg you both to forgive me. I offer my apologies here and now.”

Chen Youliang laughed loudly. “There! That is the brother we know! I will pledge my word for you. You need only take the sedative to Mount Wudang and slip it into everyone’s tea. Your honoured father and mother shall come to no harm, and the fair Miss Zhou Zhiruo shall surely become your wife. Our purpose is simply to threaten Zhang Sanfeng the Perfected One,⁷ and the Xias of Wudang, and force Zhang Wuji to obey our orders. If we killed Zhang Sanfeng the Perfected One, and your honoured father, Zhang Wuji would only come to the Beggars’ Guild seeking vengeance. What good would that do us?”

Song Qingshu said, “That is true.”

Chen Youliang continued, “Once the Beggars’ Guild has the Ming Order under its thumb and we have driven out the Tartars and taken the empire, our Guild Chief will ascend the dragon throne, and you and I will be founding ministers of the new dynasty. Enfeoffed wives and ennobled sons. That goes without saying. Even your honoured father will bask in the reflected glory.”

Song Qingshu said with a bitter smile, “My father cares nothing for fame or fortune. I only hope he will not kill me. That would satisfy me fully.”

Chen Youliang laughed. “Unless your honoured father is an immortal who can see past, present and future, how could he know what lies behind all this? Brother Song, have you hurt your leg? Come, we shall share a horse and buy fresh mounts at the next town.”

Song Qingshu said, “I was in such haste that I struck my shin against a block of ice. Just my luck. It hit the Zhubin acupoint,⁸ precisely. Can things really be so fortuitous?” He had been focused entirely on the Palm-Bowl Dragon Head and Chen Youliang pursuing from behind. He had never imagined anyone would be lying in ambush behind the rocks ahead. He assumed he had simply been careless, and that his acupoint had struck the sharp edge of the ice by mischance.

Chen Youliang laughed. “How is that misfortune? It is Brother Song’s good fortune in love, destiny’s gift of a beautiful wife. Had you not struck that block of ice, we could never have caught up with you. Had you persisted in your obstinacy, you would not merely have ruined yourself. You would have wrecked our great enterprise. And then the sweet and fragrant Miss Zhou would have followed Chen Youliang for the rest of her days. Would that not have been a phoenix following a crow, a fine flower planted in cow dung?”

Footnotes

1. 紫金八卦刀 – zǐjīn bāguà dāo. The Purple-Gold Eight-Trigrams Dao, a dao named for its eight-trigram blade pattern. ↩

2. 师叔 – shīshū. Junior lineage uncle. The shidi of one’s shifu. Shī means teacher. Shū means father’s younger brother. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

3. 为山九仞，功亏一篑 – wéi shān jiǔ rèn, gōng kuī yī kuì. A classical idiom from the Book of Documents: to build a mountain of nine ren only to lack a single basket of earth at the summit. To fail at the very last step. ↩

4. 震天铁掌 – zhèn tiān tiě zhǎng. Literally Heaven-Shaking Iron Palm. A powerful palm technique. ↩

5. 留贻襄女 – liú yí xiāng nǚ. “Bequeathed to Maiden Xiang.” An inscription on the Heavy Iron Ring, referring to Guo Xiang, founder of the Emei Order. ↩

6. 郭襄 – Guō Xiāng. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

7. 真人 – zhēnrén. Literally “Perfected One.” An honorific title for a Daoist master of the highest attainment. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

8. 筑宾穴 – zhù bīn xué. The Zhubin acupoint, located on the inside of the lower leg. One of the points of the Kidney Meridian. ↩