The Heavenly Sword & the Dragon Sabre – Chapter 40 – Part 7

Mount Song stood no great distance from Mount Wudang, and within a few days they had reached the mountain. Zhang Wuji followed Yu Lianzhou, Zhang Songxi and Yin Liting inward to pay respects to Zhang Sanfeng, and saw Song Yuanqiao and Yu Daiyan as well.

When Song Yuanqiao heard that his son was outside, his face turned iron-grey. Grasping his jian,¹ he rushed out. Zhang Wuji and the rest felt that neither persuading him nor leaving him alone was the right course, and followed him together into the main hall. Zhang Sanfeng followed them out.

Song Yuanqiao cried, “Where is that unfilial, disobedient wretch?” His glance fell on Song Qingshu lying on the soft bed, his head wrapped in bandages so thick that even his eyes were covered. He thrust out his jian, the point aimed at his son’s body, but his hand went slack and he could not bring himself to drive it home. In that instant, thoughts of the bond between father and son, the right between fellow disciples, came crowding upon him, and a hundred feelings wrestled in his breast. He wheeled the jian back and stabbed it swiftly at his own lower belly.

Zhang Wuji reached out at once and seized the jian from his hand. “Senior shibo,² you must not. How this matter is to be dealt with, we should ask Grand Shifu to decide.”

Zhang Sanfeng sighed. “That this Order should produce such an unworthy disciple. Yuanqiao, it is not your misfortune alone. A son like that is better dead than living.”

Song Qingshu cried out suddenly, “Father! Father!” He tried to leap from the soft bed and prostrate himself before his grand shifu and his father, but the effort split his wound wide open. The bones of his skull shattered. He could not draw another breath, and so died.

Zhang Wuji hurried forward. His hands split, one covering Song Qingshu’s back over the dantian,³ the other his front, and he channelled zhenqi⁴ into the body, trying to restore the heartbeat. He then asked Yu Lianzhou and Zhang Songxi to take over in turn, while he freed his own hands and set about repairing the shattered skull. But Song Qingshu’s breath had already ceased and his heart had stopped.

Song Yuanqiao clasped his beloved son’s corpse. Grief and rage choked him, and he could not draw breath. He toppled backwards. Zhang Wuji caught him and pressed his chest to ease the qi. Song Yuanqiao fell to his knees, weeping. “Shifu, I failed in discipline, and the Seventh Brother lost his life at this wretch’s hands. How can I face you, and how can I face Seventh Brother?”

Zhang Sanfeng said, “In this you are indeed at fault. From this day forward, Yu Lianzhou shall succeed to the zhangmen’s seat of this Order. You shall devote yourself to the refinement of Taiji Fist, and have no further part in the affairs of the zhangmen.”

Song Yuanqiao bowed and accepted the command.

Yu Lianzhou declined, but Zhang Sanfeng would take no refusal, and he had no choice but to accept.

Those present saw Zhang Sanfeng strip Song Yuanqiao and install a new zhangmen, and the severity of the Order’s discipline left them all in silent awe. Zhang Sanfeng enquired after the Heroes Assembly and the resistance armies’ campaign against the Yuan, and spoke to Zhang Wuji with warmth and encouragement.

Zhao Min knelt before Zhang Sanfeng and kowtowed, apologising for her former rudeness. Zhang Sanfeng laughed heartily and dismissed the matter entirely. Yu Daiyan’s lifelong cripplehood and Zhang Cuishan’s death both concerned Ada, Aer and others who had served under Zhao Min, but Zhao Min had not yet been born at the time, and the blame could not reach her. When Zhang Sanfeng heard that she was willing to forsake father and brother to follow Zhang Wuji, he said, “Good, good! That is rare, rare indeed.”

Zhang Wuji spent several days on Mount Wudang with Zhang Sanfeng and the rest, then set out with Zhao Min for Yingtian Prefecture.

Along the way they received victory after victory from the Order’s forces, and heard that resistance armies were rising in every district. Zhang Wuji’s heart was gladdened. He and Zhao Min rode east, side by side, and seeing that the recovery of the realm was now a matter of days, he hoped only that from then on the world might know peace, and the people live and work in tranquillity, so that these years of risking life and death and enduring hardship would not have been in vain. He did not wish to disturb the commanders, and avoided meeting any of the Ming Order’s generals along the way, observing only from afar. The resistance armies’ discipline was strict and did not trouble the common people, and everywhere he heard praises of Duke Wu Zhu Yuanzhang and Great General Xu Da.

The day they reached the walls of Yingtian Prefecture, Zhu Yuanzhang received word and dispatched Tang He and Deng Yu with a detachment to greet them and escort them to the guest-house. Tang He reported, “The Duke of Wu and the Great Generals Xu, Chang and the rest are engaged in urgent military affairs. Hearing of the Order Leader’s arrival, they are overjoyed. But duty binds them, and they cannot come in person. The Order Leader is asked to forgive their discourtesy.”

Zhang Wuji laughed. “We are brothers. What need of formal greetings? Military affairs come first.”

That evening a great banquet was laid at the guest-house. Three cups in, Zhu Yuanzhang arrived in haste with his generals Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, Tang He, Deng Yu and Hua Yun, and prostrated himself before the dais. Zhang Wuji hurried to raise them. Zhu Yuanzhang poured the wine himself and, with the utmost reverence, offered Zhang Wuji three cups, which Zhang Wuji drained each time. They spoke of the campaigns on every front, and Zhu Yuanzhang reported the taking of cities and the seizing of territory, with no small pride in his voice. Zhang Wuji praised him highly.

Before many days had passed, the Ming Order’s leading figures came from every quarter to Yingtian Prefecture. Yang Xiao, Fan Yao, Wei Yixiao, Yin Yewang, the Five Unbound Adepts and the Five Banner Commanders arrived in succession. This great gathering of the Order’s leadership at Yingtian was intended to install the Order Leader Zhang Wuji as the resistance armies’ formal commander, to style him the “Ming Wang,” and, once the realm was pacified, to seat him upon the throne and found the Great Ming Dynasty. Most of the officers and men in Yingtian Prefecture came from the Ming Order. Xu Da, Chang Yuchun and the other great generals, Yang Xiao, Fan Yao, Wei Yixiao, Peng the Monk and the rest of the Order’s leading figures had always held Zhang Wuji in reverence and trust, and were of one mind in support. Only Zhu Yuanzhang, Li Wenzhong, Hu Tingrui and a few others were unwilling to yield so great a foundation to Zhang Wuji, but seeing the drift of the majority, they dared not signal opposition, for in the present climate a single word of dissent would be taken as rebellion, and bring immediate death.

Zhang Wuji, however, refused outright. He said that serving as Order Leader already ran against his nature, and to become commander of the resistance armies and take the title of king was a thousand times impossible. If they pressed him, he would resign the Order Leader’s seat as well. Ever since he had failed to redress Han Lin’er’s unjust death and could not save Liao Yongzhong’s life, and had watched Zhu Yuanzhang act as he pleased, his conscience had troubled him. He felt himself unequal to the handling of great affairs, and had long wished to step down. The assembly debated without resolution. Zhang Wuji struck the table in anger. At that time Yin Tianzheng was dead and Xie Xun had taken the monastic life, and there was no senior in the Order whose word Zhang Wuji would follow. Yin Yewang, though his uncle, had always obeyed the Order Leader’s commands. Seeing him angry, he dared not press the matter, and instead supported his position, saying, “The Order Leader loves his freedom and has no taste for rank and power. We should respect his wishes and take counsel at greater length.”

The rest had no choice but to fall silent, disconsolate. Zhou Dian talked nonsense, which served only to add confusion to the confusion. Then a messenger from the Order came to the door and announced, “The Persian Holy Order has sent a delegation of envoys to pay respects to the Order Leader.”

Zhang Wuji led the assembly out to receive them.

In the distance a party of riders approached, resplendent in brocade, moving slowly. Even the horses were draped in red and coloured silk, a cheerful sight. The leading band played hu jia and suona, and a dozen or more pipas sounded together. Several of the foreign envoys, seeing Zhang Wuji and the rest emerge, dismounted and hastened forward, bowing low with the utmost courtesy. Their leader said, “The Holy Order Leader of the Persian Ming Order has dispatched me to the Central Land, to pay respects to the Order Leader of the Central Ming Order, Order Leader Zhang.”

Zhao Min, standing at Zhang Wuji’s side, spoke clearly, “The envoy has travelled far, and we welcome him with open arms. Pray stand on ceremony no more. Is the envoy the Great Sage Guardian King?”

The foreign envoy was indeed the Great Sage Guardian King. Hearing Zhao Min call his name, he was both startled and admiring. “It is I, it is I! The lady is gifted with supernatural perception, to know even my humble title. I am most impressed.”

Zhao Min spoke clearly again, “I have no supernatural perception. It is merely that I have seen the envoy upon the great sea. Might those who follow the envoy be the Wisdom Guardian King? The Victorious Guardian King?”

The Wisdom and Victorious Guardian Kings stood just behind the Great Sage Guardian King. The Wisdom Guardian King laughed heartily. “The lady is wise and perceptive, and forgets nothing she has seen. Today I meet Order Leader Zhang, and I meet the wise lady also. What fortune, what fortune!”

Zhao Min smiled. “The Wisdom Guardian King speaks our Central Land’s tongue to perfection, and the Victorious Guardian King’s martial arts are superb, for he fought our Order Leader to a standstill. I am most impressed, most impressed indeed.”

With these courtesies exchanged, the warmth between the two parties grew. Amid much laughter, Zhang Wuji led the guests inside, and all took their seats in the great hall.

Zhao Min sat at Zhang Wuji’s left hand and said, “Their Holiness the Holy Order Leader has sent three envoys to the Central Land, travelling ten thousand li.⁵ A friend comes from afar. Is this not a joy?”

The Great Sage Guardian King rose and bowed. “Our Holy Order Leader has charged the three of us to present a precious gift to Order Leader Zhang.” He clapped his hands, and four brocade-clad Persians bore in a gleaming silver chest and set it before Zhang Wuji, bowing as they did so. The lid was opened. Within, lined with brocade, six Holy Fire Tablets⁶ lay side by side.

Zhang Wuji started and rose to his feet. The Central Land’s Ming Order had once possessed twelve Holy Fire Tablets. The former Order Leader had lost six of them. At the contest on Spirit Snake Island, Zhang Wuji had recovered those six, and through them had learned the origin of the ancient Persian martial arts. He had not imagined that Xiaozhao would send the remaining six. Now all twelve were restored to their rightful place, and his title as Order Leader stood beyond all question. Xiaozhao’s gift was lavish beyond measure. His throat tightened, and his eyes reddened.

The Wisdom Guardian King drew from the chest a letter wrapped in brocade and presented it to Zhang Wuji with both hands. Zhang Wuji took it. “Wisdom Guardian King, please be seated.” Seeing Zhang Wuji unfold the letter of their Order Leader, the Wisdom Guardian King stood aside to wait, and the Great Sage and Victorious Guardian Kings rose also. Zhang Wuji spread the letter open. In the script of the Central Land it read:

Young Master Zhang,

Since we parted, there has not been a shichen⁷ in which I have not thought of you. Is your body well? Does the great work of the resistance proceed smoothly? I send six of the Holy Fire Tablets, which belong to the Central Land’s Holy Order. When you see the Holy Fire Tablets, please remember the little girl Xiaozhao, ten thousand li away. My fate is worse even than these tablets, for I cannot see you, and cannot be beside you each day. May the Lord of Light shelter you. I hope that one day I may return to your side and be your little girl again. At that time I will resign my post as Holy Order Leader of the Holy Order.

At the foot of the letter a small red flame was painted, and beside it a pair of slender hands, with a thin iron chain drawn between them. But the chain was cut in the middle.

Footnotes

1. 剑 – jiàn. A straight, double-edged sword. ↩

2. 师伯 – shībó. Senior lineage uncle. The shixiong or shijie of one’s shifu. Shī means teacher. Bó means father’s elder brother. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

3. 丹田 – dāntián. The energy centre below the navel. ↩

4. 真气 – zhēnqì. Refined qi produced by internal cultivation. ↩

5. 里 – lǐ. A Chinese unit of distance, approximately one-third of a mile or five hundred metres. ↩

6. 圣火令 – Shènghuǒ Lìng. The Holy Fire Tablets, twelve golden tablets of the Ming Order that symbolise the Order Leader’s authority. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

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