The Heavenly Sword & the Dragon Sabre – Chapter 40 – Part 6

Yin Li reached into her robe and drew out a strip of wood, holding it before Zhang Wuji's eyes. “Look carefully. Do you know what this is?”

Zhang Wuji glanced at it. Carved into the wood was a line of text: Here lies my beloved wife Zhu’er Yin Li. Erected by Zhang Wuji. It was the very tablet he had set up before Yin Li’s grave.

Yin Li said, her voice thick with bitterness, “I crawled out of that grave and saw this thing. I was bewildered at the time. How? That cruel-hearted, short-lived little wretch, Zhang Wuji? I turned it over and over in my mind and could make nothing of it. Only later, when I overheard the two of you talking, ‘Wuji gege’ this and ‘Wuji gege’ that, did it all come clear at last. So Zhang Wuji was Zeng Aniu, and Zeng Aniu was Zhang Wuji. You heartless wretch. You deceived me so cruelly!” She raised the tablet and brought it crashing down on Zhang Wuji’s head. A sharp crack. The wood splintered into several pieces and scattered.

Zhao Min flared. “Why must you always be striking people?” Yin Li laughed loudly. “I struck him. So what? Is your heart aching for him?” Zhao Min’s cheeks flushed. “He was letting you. Do not mistake his kindness.”

Yin Li smiled. “What is there to mistake? Set your mind at rest. I have no mind to compete with you for this ugly monster. There is only one person I have ever loved with all my heart, and that is the little Zhang Wuji who bit the back of my hand in Butterfly Valley.¹ This ugly monster here, whether he calls himself Zeng Aniu or Zhang Wuji, I have not the slightest fondness for him.” She turned to him, her voice softening. “Aniu gege,² you have always been good to me, and I am deeply grateful. But my heart was given away long ago, to that cruel, fierce little Zhang Wuji. You are not him. No, not him…”

Zhang Wuji was greatly puzzled. He stammered, “But I…I am Zhang Wuji. How can you say I am…I am not…”

Yin Li gazed at him with tender eyes. She stared at him for a long while, her expression shifting through many moods. At last she shook her head. “Aniu gege, you would not understand. In the deserts of the Western Regions, you shared life and death with me. On that island beyond the sea, you showed me every kindness. You are a good man. You have treated me so well that I ought to love you with all my heart. But I have told you already. My heart was given to that Zhang Wuji long ago. I must go and find him. If I find him, do you think he will still strike me, and scold me, and bite me?” She did not wait for his answer. She turned and walked slowly away.

Only now did Zhang Wuji understand. The one she truly loved was not the man before her, but the Zhang Wuji she carried in her imagination, the Zhang Wuji of her memory, the boy she had met in Butterfly Valley, that stubborn, fierce child who had struck her and bitten her. Not this Zhang Wuji who stood before her now, not this young man grown tall and gentle, wide of heart and slow to anger.

Three parts sorrow, three parts lingering attachment, and three parts solace filled his heart as he watched her figure dissolve into the darkness. He knew that for as long as Yin Li lived, she would remember that fierce boy in Butterfly Valley, and she would go on searching for him. She would never find him. But one might also say she had found him long ago, for that boy was hidden in the deepest corner of her heart. The real person, the real thing, is seldom as fine as what the heart imagines.

Zhou Zhiruo sighed. “It is all my fault. I have driven her to this madness.” Zhang Wuji thought, She is a little mad, it is true, and I am the cause. But compared with those whose minds are clear, she may be happier for it.

What Zhao Min was thinking was something else entirely. Yin Li had come and gone. But what of Zhou Zhiruo? Yin Li had not died after all, and Xie Xun was safe and well. The military treatise and the martial arts manuals hidden within the Heavenly Jian and the Dragon-Slaying Dao,³ together with the dao itself, had all been delivered into Zhang Wuji’s keeping. The wrongs Zhou Zhiruo had done now seemed of no great consequence. It was true that Song Qingshu had killed Mo Shenggu for her sake. Yet that was Song Qingshu’s own sin. Zhou Zhiruo had known nothing of it beforehand, nor had she ever incited it. Zhang Wuji had been betrothed to her. He was not a man who would abandon his word and cast aside duty.

Zhou Zhiruo rose to her feet. “Let us go.” Zhao Min asked, “Go where?” Zhou Zhiruo said, “When we were at Shaolin Monastery just now, I saw the monk Peng Yingyu hurrying to find you. It seemed something urgent had arisen in the Ming Order.” Zhang Wuji started. He thought, I must not let affairs of the heart distract me from the affairs of the Order. He said, “Let us go at once and see what it is.” The three of them quickened their pace, and before long found the camp where the Ming Order’s followers were bivouacked.

Yang Xiao, Fan Yao, Peng Yingyu and the rest had been sending men in every direction to search for their Leader. When they saw him return they were greatly relieved, though puzzled to see Zhou Zhiruo and Zhao Min at his side. Zhang Wuji read the dejection in their faces and guessed that something was amiss. “Great Master Peng,⁴ is there something you wished to speak with me about?” Before Peng Yingyu could answer, Zhou Zhiruo drew Zhao Min’s hand through hers. “Come, let us sit over there.” Zhao Min understood her intent. She wished to avoid even the appearance of hearing the Order’s secrets, and so the two of them walked out together, shoulder to shoulder.

Yang Xiao and Fan Yao were the more mystified. That day at Haozhou, when the Leader had been wed, these two girls had splashed blood across the wedding hall and fought like demons. Now they walked as close as sisters. How had the Leader managed such a feat? Truly the able were capable of anything. That kung fu,⁵ the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth,⁶ was indeed worthy of deep admiration.

Peng Yingyu waited until the two women had left. “I report to the Leader. The Dragon and Phoenix Emperor,⁷ at the invitation of the Duke of Wu,⁸ removed from Chuzhou to Yingtian Fu. Upon reaching the far bank of the Yangzi at Guabu, his vessel capsized. He perished in the river.”

Zhang Wuji cried out in anguish. He grieved deeply. Han Lin’er was a gentle and honest man. Years ago in Dadu, during the “Parade of the Imperial City,” he had accompanied Zhang Wuji and Zhou Zhiruo on their outing, and the three had grown quite friendly. Zhang Wuji at once sent word to Zhou Zhiruo, that she should observe mourning at Shaolin Monastery on his behalf.

Peng Yingyu drew closer and spoke in a low voice. “I further report to the Leader. The general in charge of escorting Han Lin’er was Liao Yongzhong. When the Duke of Wu, Zhu Yuanzhang, received the news, he was furious. He has already issued an order for Liao Yongzhong’s execution, as punishment for failing in his duty to protect the sovereign.”

Zhang Wuji nodded. “Regardless of the circumstances, Brother Han was a great commander of the Order’s eastern Red Banner Army. Liao Yongzhong deserves to die.” Peng Yingyu lowered his voice still further. “I report to the Leader. Brother Liao has been wrongfully accused.” Zhang Wuji was startled. “Wrongfully? How?” Peng Yingyu said, “Brother Liao is a trusted officer under Brother Chang Yuchun, and has always fought bravely, leading from the front. He was acting on secret orders from Zhu Yuanzhang when he deliberately overturned the vessel and drowned Brother Han. Brother Chang learned of this and confronted Zhu Yuanzhang in a rage. Many in the army know of it by now. Brother Xu Da mediated, saying that if they could only smuggle Brother Liao away and execute some criminal in his place, the matter could be laid to rest. But Zhu Yuanzhang had Brother Liao seized first, before Brother Chang’s people could effect a substitution, and is determined to kill him to silence the truth. They have come to me with their complaint, but I dared not act on my own authority. I beg the Leader’s decision.”

Zhang Wuji was deeply troubled. He saw no way to do justice on both sides. He could not let such a grave injustice stand within the Ming Order. Yet if he openly accused Zhu Yuanzhang, who commanded a vast army and wielded enormous power, a full investigation would inevitably split the Order, to the grave detriment of the great work of resisting the Yuan. He said, “Quickly, summon the Bright Left and Bright Right Messengers, Dharma King Wei,⁹ the Five Unbound Adepts, and the five Banner Masters to deliberate together.”

This was a matter of the gravest import for the Order. Zhang Wuji borrowed a secluded building from Shaolin Monastery and posted skilled sentries around it to guard against eavesdropping. Yang Xiao and the others knew Peng Yingyu well, knew him shrewd and capable, upright and fair. If he spoke thus, he must have investigated thoroughly beforehand and would not be spreading false tidings.

Zhou Dian was the first to roar, “That Zhu Yuanzhang is truly no good at all! First he tried to seize the Leadership for himself. If he goes on forging things and framing innocent men, even if he does drive out all the Tartars, and makes himself Leader and Emperor, he will be no better than the Tartars. We might as well not bother driving them out and save ourselves the effort. Leader, I say the central altar ought to send someone to investigate thoroughly, strip him of his title, and cut off one of his arms to answer for Brother Han Lin’er!”

Iron Crown Adept Zhang Zhong spoke as well. “Leader, the great prohibitions of the Holy Fire Tablets¹⁰ forbid the slaughter of one’s own brothers. If Zhu Yuanzhang’s conduct goes unpunished, henceforth we shall all be killing each other. Will the great prohibitions and lesser prohibitions of the Holy Fire Tablets be kept or not?”

Zhang Wuji said, “The slaughter of one’s own brothers is indeed wrong. Our first concern must be to save Brother Liao. Transfer him to the central altar and question him thoroughly.” Cannot Tell said, “The Leader’s words are right. I shall go at once to Yingtian Fu and bring Brother Liao out of danger.” Wei Yixiao said, “Brother Liao must certainly be saved. But once he is rescued, Zhu Yuanzhang will know at once that the central altar is investigating the matter. Deng Yu, Wu Liang, Feng Sheng, Fu Youde, and the rest, every one of them takes orders from Zhu Yuanzhang. Each commands tens of thousands of troops. We must strike first. Those who defy the central altar’s orders must be dealt with one by one.”

Zhang Wuji listened and gave a long sigh. “Kill this one, and another must follow. They are all good brothers. I truly cannot bring myself to strike. Can we not summon all the generals, lay the matter open, and talk it through? If we are all to be just and fair, must we not also be harmonious?” Peng Yingyu shook his head. “Alas, it cannot be done.”

Zhang Wuji was at a loss. He turned to Yang Xiao and Fan Yao. “Left Messenger Yang, Right Messenger Fan, what do you two think?”

Yang Xiao said, “In all matters of war and campaign, the Ming Order is bright and clean.” He explained briefly. The Ming Order’s righteous armies had risen in every quarter, killing officials and raising rebellion, until the Mongol Yuan were at their wits’ end. Some campaigns had succeeded and some failed, but they reported neither to the central altar nor did the central altar have any authority over them. The Red Banner Army at Yingtian Fu had always acted as it pleased. Its power was great. The central altar could neither kill their commander nor bind them with the Order’s rules. They must be left to their own course. But they must never be allowed to contest the Leadership, nor to command the Ming Order.

Fan Yao said, his voice clear and ringing, “Left Messenger Yang’s words are exactly my own mind. Henceforth we must keep the Ming Order bright and clean, and let the sacred fire burn ever blazing and never extinguished. We hold the Dragon-Slaying treasure dao in our hands. If Zhu Yuanzhang treats the common people well, then let him be. But if he does not, we need only swing the Dragon-Slaying treasure dao and take his head!”

Zhang Wuji brought his palm down heavily upon the table. “Just so! The Ming Order is upright and bright, for ever protecting the common people!” Wei Yixiao, Yin Yewang, the Five Unbound Adepts, and the five Banner Masters all cried out together in a great roar: “The Ming Order is upright and bright, for ever protecting the common people!”

The matter was settled, yet Zhang Wuji could not shake a heaviness from his heart. He felt that such a decision sat ill with the principles of xia¹¹ and benevolence. Liao Yongzhong had been unjustly put to death, and the central altar had not washed away his shame. His conscience would not be easy. Yet any intervention would draw too wide a circle of consequence, and he truly lacked the power to deal with the matter justly.

When at last they stepped out of doors, it was deep night. The next morning Zhao Min said, “Sister Zhou left last night. She said she would not say farewell.” Zhang Wuji was lost in thought for a long while. Then, on the pretext that he had been parted from Zhang Sanfeng for too long and missed him dearly, he set out with Zhao Min and Song Qingshu to join Yu Lianzhou and the rest on the road to Mount Wudang.¹²

Footnotes

1. 蝴蝶谷 – Húdié Gǔ. The valley where Hu Qingniu the Physician and Wang Nangu the Toxicologist lived. Zhang Wuji studied medicine here. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

2. 哥哥 – gēge. Elder brother. A familiar and affectionate form of address. ↩

3. The Heavenly Jian (倚天剑) and the Dragon-Slaying Dao (屠龙刀) were the twin legendary weapons forged from Yang Guo’s Heavy Iron Sword by Guo Jing and Huang Rong. The Dragon-Slaying Dao contained the Nine Yin Manual and the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms manual; the Heavenly Jian held the Book of Wumu. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

4. 大师 – dàshī. Great Master. An honorific for a senior monk. ↩

5. 功夫 – gōngfu. Martial arts; skill achieved through long practice. ↩

6. 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 and reversing the flow of qi. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

7. 小明王 – Xiǎo Míng Wáng. The Little Ming King. Han Lin’er (韩林儿), nominal leader of the Red Turban rebellion, claimed as the Dragon and Phoenix Emperor (龙凤皇帝). His death cleared the way for Zhu Yuanzhang’s eventual founding of the Ming Dynasty. ↩

8. 吴国公 – Wú Guó Gōng. Duke of Wu. Zhu Yuanzhang’s title at this time. ↩

9. 法王 – Fǎ Wáng. Dharma King. A high rank within the Ming Order. Wei Yixiao the Green Winged Bat King held this title. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

10. 圣火令 – Shèng Huǒ Lìng. The Holy Fire Tablets. Twelve golden tablets of the Ming Order, symbols of authority and carriers of the Order’s laws and prohibitions. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

11. 侠 – xiá. The code of the martial hero. Chivalry in the jianghu. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

12. 武当山 – Wǔdāng Shān. The sacred mountain in Hubei, seat of the Wudang Order and Zhang Sanfeng’s retreat. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩