The Heavenly Sword & the Dragon Sabre – Chapter 34 – Part 5

Zhang Wuji lit the candle and stood alone in the small wineshop. In the dim yellow candlelight, he gazed at the wine pot and cups on the wooden table, the four untouched dishes, the chopsticks and seats arranged opposite each other, savouring the bittersweet yet sweet kiss Zhao Min had given him. He found it truly hard to part with her, and a wave of melancholy washed over him, followed by sharp pain. He knew Zhou Zhiruo must resent him for secretly arranging to meet Zhao Min here. It was a false accusation, and it would be difficult to defend himself. But if he must part from Zhao Min forever in this life, never to see her again, his heart could not bear it. Thinking of this, he felt that whether Zhou Zhiruo wrongfully accused him mattered little now. He rushed out of the small wineshop, leapt onto the rooftops and ran for a while, but Zhao Min was nowhere to be seen. He could only return to the inn, heavy-hearted.

He saw Han Lin’er standing at the entrance of the inn, anxiously looking around, waiting for his return. When asked, Han Lin’er said that Miss Zhou had returned half a shichen¹ ago, taken some things, and left in anger. When he asked when she would return, she said with a straight face, “I’m not coming back. I’m never coming back!” Tears streamed down as she spoke. He wanted to console her, but Miss Zhou had already led out her mount and galloped away, and no one knew whether she had gone east or west, south or north.

Han Lin’er said anxiously, “Order Leader, what should we do? We must hurry and find Miss Zhou to bring her back!” Zhang Wuji was both worried and self-reproaching. He immediately left a message for Peng Yingyu, then he and Han Lin’er split up to search. He searched everywhere in Dadu, including inns, temples, and village houses in the suburbs, but until daybreak, he could not find any trace of Zhou Zhiruo. It was as if she had vanished into thin air.

When he returned to the inn, Peng Yingyu and Han Lin’er had already come back one after another. The three exchanged glances and shook their heads. Zhang Wuji’s mind was in turmoil: “Now not only is my sworn father’s whereabouts unknown, but even Zhiruo has left me. What should I do?”

Peng Yingyu said, “Order Leader, in my estimation, since Miss Zhou bears the weighty responsibility of Emei Order zhangmen,² upon leaving she would naturally return to the Emei Order. We need only send brothers from the Order to inquire, and we will surely find her. Order Leader need not worry excessively.”

Zhang Wuji said, “That makes sense. The most urgent task now is to find Dharma King³ Xie and trace the movements of Cheng Kun and Chen Youliang.” He thought to himself, “My sworn father must be trapped somewhere in the Central Plains, and it must be connected to Cheng Kun. If I were to seek Zhao Guniang’s help, with her resourcefulness and abilities, she might find some clues, far better than me blundering about like a blind fly. Alas, Zhang Wuji, you want to see Zhao Min, so you invent any excuse.” Then he thought further, “Could Zhao Min be connected to my sworn father’s disappearance? Could Cheng Kun be acting on her orders? No. Zhao Guniang has treated me so sincerely, it cannot be false. She knows my devotion to my sworn father and would never harm him. Moreover, at Maitreya Temple that day, she and the Beggars’ Guild were enemies, not allies, so she would not likely join forces with Cheng Kun and Chen Youliang.” Thinking this, his mind eased somewhat, but when he considered Zhao Min’s cunning ways and unfathomable intentions, he grew anxious again.

With no other recourse, he wished to consult Yang Xiao, Fan Yao, and others in the Order known for their wisdom. From Peng Yingyu he learned that Han Shantong, Zhu Yuanzhang, and others had in recent years captured cities and seized territory, establishing a vast domain around the Huai and Si rivers, and had seemingly become the Ming Order’s central headquarters in the Central Plains. He therefore issued orders summoning the Bright Left and Right Messengers, the Yin and Wei Kings, the Five Unbound Adepts, and the banner leaders of the Five Elements factions to gather at Haozhou, where Han Shantong was based.

The next morning, Zhang Wuji instructed Peng Yingyu to remain in Dadu for three more days to gather news of Xie Xun, then he and Han Lin’er journeyed south towards the Huai and Si regions. Once they entered Shandong, they saw large bands of defeated Mongol soldiers fleeing in disarray, armour dragging and helmets lost. Zhang and Han hastened their journey, and when they reached the border between Shandong and Anhui, the entire region was already under the control of the Ming Order’s righteous army. Someone among the troops recognised Han Lin’er and rushed to report to the Marshal’s Office.

As they approached Haozhou, Han Shantong had already led Zhu Yuanzhang, Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, Deng Yu, Tang He, and other generals to meet them thirty li⁴ outside. The joyous reunion after long separation was a delight to all. When Han Shantong heard from his son how he had been captured by the Beggars’ Guild and saved entirely through the Order Leader’s efforts, he thanked him repeatedly. Drums and gongs clamoured, armour and weapons gleamed, and the party swept into Haozhou city.

Zhang Wuji rested in the city for several days. The Bright Left and Right Messengers, the Yin and Wei Kings, Yin Yewang, Iron Crown Adept, Cannot Tell, Zhou Dian, and the banner leaders of the Five Elements factions received the news and came from various places to gather.

Zhang Wuji spoke of Xie Xun’s return to the Central Plains, his capture by the Beggars’ Guild, and his subsequent disappearance. All agreed that since Xie Xun had been taken by Cheng Kun, the only course now was to immediately trace the whereabouts of Dharma King Xie, Cheng Kun, and Chen Youliang. But Dharma King Xie had many enemies, and now that he had fallen into the hands of foes, while wulin⁵ folk also coveted his Dragon-Slaying Dao, the news of Dharma King Xie’s return to the Central Plains must absolutely not leak out.

Zhang Wuji immediately dispatched followers of the Five Elements factions to search in all directions. Yet not only was Cheng Kun’s trail difficult to find, even Chen Youliang had suddenly gone silent, his whereabouts unknown, and the rescue of Xie Xun became entirely without a lead.

That day Cannot Tell came to report that followers of the Water Banner faction in the suburbs of Qingyuan Circuit, Jiangzhe Province, had spotted several agile women. Following them discreetly, they discovered they were Emei Order nuns. It turned out that the Emei Order’s main seat was currently temporarily established at Dinghai in Qingyuan Circuit, and Zhangmen Zhou Zhiruo with several senior disciples were temporarily residing in a Guanyin convent called the White-Robed Convent. Not far east of Dinghai lay an island called Pudu Mountain,⁶ the sacred site of Guanyin Bodhisattva, and so the worship of Guanyin Bodhisattva was flourishing in the area. Mount Emei was originally the sacred site of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, but as nuns mostly worshipped Guanyin, it was quite natural for them to stay temporarily in a Guanyin convent.

Zhang Wuji was overjoyed at the news. He took Yang Xiao, Fan Yao, Wei Yixiao, and Cannot Tell with him, prepared gifts, and set out for Dinghai to visit.

Within a few days they arrived at the White-Robed Convent. The Emei disciples announced their visit, and Zhou Zhiruo came out to greet them, leading several senior disciples including Jingxuan and Jingkong. After pleasantries, Zhou Zhiruo learned that there was still no trace of Xie Xun and said coolly, “Why doesn’t Order Leader Zhang go to Dadu himself to ask the Princess, and beg her to release the captive?” Zhang Wuji hastily said, “Bat King⁷ Wei asked Zhao Guniang, and she said she had not seen my sworn father. Bat King Wei secretly investigated the Prince of Ruyang’s mansion, Wan’an Temple, and other places several times, and even eavesdropped on their conversations, but found no clues whatsoever.”

Zhou Zhiruo said, “Lion King Xie is generous and chivalrous, a senior worthy of admiration. If he were to meet his end at the hands of the Princess, I would surely avenge him. But Order Leader Zhang cares little for such things, I suppose.” Tears glistened in her eyes, on the verge of falling. Zhang Wuji said, “If such misfortune has truly befallen him, it is a hatred that cannot be shared under the same sky. I will avenge my sworn father no matter what!”

The Emei Order prepared a vegetarian meal to entertain the leaders of the Ming Order. After the meal, Yang Xiao, Fan Yao, and others, anticipating that the Order Leader and Zhou Zhiruo would have private matters to discuss, made an excuse and, accompanied by Jingxuan and others, went to tour the seaside.

Zhou Zhiruo glanced at Zhang Wuji and said, “Order Leader Zhang, I have been practising neigong⁸ alone, but there are some points I do not fully understand. I would like to ask for your guidance. Will you teach me?” Zhang Wuji said awkwardly, “Why so polite all of a sudden? Whatever you want me to teach, I will teach.”

Zhou Zhiruo led him to a quiet chamber and asked about some of the profound essentials of cultivating neigong. Zhang Wuji held nothing back, explaining in full detail, and said happily, “Zhiruo, the fact that you can ask about these key points shows your neigong cultivation has made considerable progress. From now on, I will teach you every day. In two or three years, your neigong will be on par with mine!” Zhou Zhiruo gave him a look and said softly, “If you want to deceive someone, you should at least pick something believable. You couldn’t even teach me for a day or two before going to that small wineshop in Dadu to meet Zhao Guniang. How can you teach me every day?”

Zhang Wuji said, “Meeting her last time was truly an accidental encounter. If I were to deceive you and go see Zhao Guniang again, you could slice me into a thousand pieces and I would not resent it.” Zhou Zhiruo’s face flushed, her chest rising and falling unevenly. She gasped, “What nonsense are you talking? You know I would never slice you into a thousand pieces.” Zhang Wuji laughed, “Then how about you chop off my two feet?” Zhou Zhiruo lowered her head, tears streaming down like falling pearls.

Zhang Wuji sat beside her and put his arm around her shoulder, saying gently, “Why are you sad again?” Zhou Zhiruo only wept and did not speak. Zhang Wuji asked again and again, but the more he pressed, the sadder she became.

Zhang Wuji swore oaths, saying he would never be false or unfaithful. Zhou Zhiruo covered her face with both hands and said, “I am blaming my own ill fate, not you.” Zhang Wuji said, “We are all ill-fated. The Tartars lord it over China, and everyone suffers. Once we are married and drive out the Tartars, there will only be joy and no sorrow.”

Zhou Zhiruo raised her head and said, “Wuji gege,⁹ I know you are sincere with me. It is only that little demoness Zhao Min is trying to tempt you, not that you are of two minds. But… but she is ten times cleverer than me, her martial arts are ten times stronger, her beauty and power ten times greater. I can never compete with her. Rather than spend a lifetime in sorrow, I… I would rather follow my shifu’s example, shave my head and become a nun. Alas, the zhangmen of our Emei Order have never married, in the end.”

Zhang Wuji said, “You still cannot trust me. Very well then, we will set off tomorrow back to Huai and Si, and I will marry you.” Zhou Zhiruo said, “Sworn father has not been found yet. Besides, you once said, ‘While the Xiongnu are not destroyed, how can one think of family?’ In the end… in the end, it cannot be done.” As she spoke, tears flowed down again.

Footnotes

1. 时辰 – shíchén. A unit of time equivalent to two hours. The traditional Chinese day was divided into twelve shichen. ↩

2. 掌门 – zhǎngmén. The leader of a martial arts school or order. ↩

3. 法王 – fǎwáng. Dharma King. A high title in the Ming Order, held by the four Guardian Kings. ↩

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

5. 武林 – wǔlín. The martial forest; the community of martial artists. ↩

6. Translator’s note: The source reads 普渡山 Pǔdù Shān (Pudu Mountain), but this likely refers to 普陀山 Pǔtuó Shān (Putuo Mountain), the sacred site of Guanyin Bodhisattva near Dinghai. ↩

7. 蝠王 – fúwáng. Bat King. The epithet of Wei Yixiao, one of the four Guardian Kings of the Ming Order, known for his extraordinary qinggong. ↩

8. 内功 – nèigōng. Internal cultivation; the cultivation of internal force through meditation and breathing exercises. Distinct from external techniques. ↩

9. 哥哥 – gēge. Elder brother. A term of affectionate address. ↩