by Yan LeiSheng
“Young lady, a humble imperial slave such as myself could never answer that. But I heard rumors that a caliph had made it, and Emperor Zhengde walked in his footsteps, put his specialists to work to accomplish the same miracle… They worked in the Xifan pavilion in the Leopard Quarter, until they all suddenly died in the fifteenth year of His Majesty’s reign. I heard that they devoured one another, sent mad by a poison used to make the pill. The only positive outcome of this was to help the Emperor see reason. He saw that he was on the path to repeating the mistakes of the illustrious Win Shihuang who wasted his life in a vain quest for immortality, and decided to close the pavilion and seal the scroll forever.”
Shao Jun remembered Zhengde as a curious and stubborn man, who had repeatedly told her of his interest in immortality. And to think he had then been taken by death at the age of thirty-one… How ironic.
She felt strangely disappointed now the mystery had been revealed. So, now Zhang Yong wanted to make the pill of immortality for himself. It was obvious that in the end, even the most powerful man in the empire was just another sixty year-old who feared his own demise. After the terrible events in the Xifan pavilion, he had to have been aware of the instability of the recipe, which explained why he sought the means to decipher the mysterious Western document. And Shao Jun now had no doubt that this means was the object Ezio Auditore had given her: the Precursor Box.
Chen Xijian blew out the candles. Illuminated by the light of the moon at its zenith, the night outside was much lighter than inside the pavilion.
“Did you ensure no one followed you?” he asked quietly.
Shao Jun was embarrassed to have been caught in Gao Feng’s net on her return to China despite having taken what she thought were all the necessary precautions. She had since redoubled her efforts, particularly at the Temple of the White Pagoda and on her way to the Xiaoling mausoleum – Chen Xijian had only seen her because she had wanted him to. Master Yangming had taught her the Heart of the mountain technique, thanks to which she was able to notice the slightest unusual movement around her. Shao Jun was nowhere near the level of the mentor, who had attained The eye pierces the sky, one of the six stages of Buddhist extra lucid perception, but her sight and hearing were much sharper than the average person. However, it was Chen Xijian who was first to worry when he heard a suspicious sound.
“Someone comes!” He was immediately alert. “Miss Favorite, please stay hidden here. I will take care of it. I will create a distraction if things go badly. Take the opportunity and leave by the back entrance, avoiding the mausoleum.”
He spoke so quietly that the young woman had to strain her ears to hear him. But barely had he finished his sentence than a high, piercing voice rang out.
“Uncle Chen!”
Chapter 8
Chen Xijian, pale as chalk, gestured to Shao Jun not to move as he left the building.
“Ah!” he exclaimed sufficiently loudly to be heard from inside. “Uncle Ma honors me with his visit!”
How was it possible? Master Yangming had predicted that Ma Yongcheng would stay in the capital vainly searching for any trace of the former imperial favorite, and yet here he was in Nanjing! The mentor had been wrong this time. No one was infallible, as she well knew, but until now his miraculous plans had always been a success, and she had begun to forget that he was still just a man. Unless Ma Yongcheng’s visit to the mausoleum was just a coincidence… How could she know?
She was paralyzed by indecision. Should she flee? If the Tiger had company, she would be exposed. Should she confront him then? Master Yangming had told her that she could beat him in single combat, but once again, she would lose if he wasn’t alone. The more she thought, the harder it was to make a decision. It was fortunate that Chen Xijian didn’t seem like he wanted to denounce her.
Through the open door she could see the imposing silhouette of the Tiger, towering over the old man. Every time Shao Jun met him, she had been struck by the contrast between his colossal physique – all he lacked was a beard and he would have resembled a legendary warrior – and his high-pitched castrato voice. The disparity would have been comical if he hadn’t been so terrifying.
“Uncle Ma,” said the old man as he approached, “we haven’t seen one another for years. What brings you here?”
Under Zhengde’s reign Ma Yongcheng had been head of the East Factory, and Chen Xijian of the Leopard Quarter, and while one now flew high as the other wallowed in the mud, the mausoleum steward was not required to show excessive deference to his guest, who laughed at this relative impertinence.
“Come, Uncle Chen, you should have expected our visit, given what you shelter here…”
Shao Jun was surprised that the Tiger had managed to follow her trail here, though he may perhaps not have suspected that she was in the pavilion. After all, Wei Bin had supposedly been the best tracker in their group, someone from whom no one could escape via land or sea, or even the air. Ma Yongcheng’s skill was not equal to that of his fallen comrade, and the young woman’s slim figure made her a difficult target.
“Uncle Ma,” Chen Xijian responded calmly and confidently, “I feel old, miserable, and ashamed in the face of your nobility and wealth. I would be delighted to help you, but I have no idea which of my possessions you could possibly desire.”
“Ha ha ha, I’m not surprised that Captain Zhang sent an incompetent like you to sweep the tombs. He should have planned a much worse fate! But if, by any chance, the traitor Shao Jun is in the pavilion and you were to hand her over to me…”
The old man’s face lit up. He suddenly rushed forwards to cover the six or seven feet between them, and struck Ma Yongcheng’s chest with his palm while the man was too surprised to react. Thanks to the teachings of the great Master Singgibandan, Chen Xijian had developed solid kung-fu skills that he maintained through regular practice. And so, despite his old age, he was more than able to deliver a fatal blow to an adversary who seemed physically superior.
Shao Jun knew that he had been the disciple of an expert in tantric Buddhism, but she had never expected to see him attack so quicky. When they travelled together, Zhu Jiuyuan had summarized the esoteric martial philosophy of Singgibandan, who had infused his kung-fu with his own spiritual doctrines. But the sound produced by the blow that had just struck was enough to convince her that she had just witnessed a devastating attack. And for good reason: Ma Yongcheng’s huge mass sagged, then tumbled to the ground. When the young woman came out of the pavilion, his head swam in the blood flowing from his mouth. But as she turned towards Chen Xijian, she saw with horror that the Tiger had managed to plant his dagger in the old man’s chest before he fell.
She moved towards him to offer support.
“Uncle Chen…”
“Miss, you are safe, don’t worry about me.”
“But you’re hurt!”
“I’m still standing, see? The wound isn’t deep.”
True to his words, he seized the handle, removed the weapon from his wound and dropped it on the ground. Judging by the blood on the blade, the blow should have been fatal. And yet, the old man’s face expressed only pain, not the agony that would have been expected. He clarified answered her silent question himself.
“Your humble servant was born with his heart on the right. If I had a normal constitution I would have died before your very eyes. But time is running out: Ma the Butcher certainly did not come alone; he must have men at the foot of the mountain. Miss, you must leave, immediately.”
Shao Jun felt responsible for having stayed hidden; perhaps if she had come out of hiding immediately and fought the Tiger herself, then Chen Xijian would not have been injured. While his unique physiology had saved him from immediate death, his life would be at risk if his injury wasn’t treated soon.
“What are you going to do?” she asked him.
“At my age,” he answered with a tight smile, “I don’t have much to hope for.
But, miss, I didn’t tell you everything: Uncle Zhang was certain that you would come to find me, and so ordered me to arrest you as soon as you appeared. However, I do not know how Ma Yongcheng came here so quickly, but you should consider that your presence here is now known. Please, don’t trust anyone.”
He was right, she must go. The Tiger must have come to the pavilion alone out of an abundance of confidence, but his followers would quickly grow concerned when he didn’t return. However, she couldn’t possibly leave the old steward to his fate.
“Uncle Chen, what are you going to do? I can’t just leave you.”
“Humble imperial slave that I am, I would rather die than suffer the reprisals of Uncle Ma’s men.”
“Do not despair, your wound isn’t mortal. All is not lost…”
“Miss, I have neither friends nor family in Nanjing, where could I find refuge? And even if I could escape them for a time, it wouldn’t last… The world is vast, but the Eight Tigers always find their enemies. Death awaits me, one way or another, but I beg you, please don’t be sad.”
Master Yangming often told Shao Jun that she must make a decision after considering her question three times, but she couldn’t make up her mind. As she held him, she noticed Chen Xijian’s pulse weakening. Despairing, she pressed her hand against the old man’s chest.
“Uncle Chen, can you walk?” she asked.
“Yes, but I won’t get far, and I have nowhere to hide.”
“I know where we can go.”
The old man stood back up, hope and surprise flaring in his eyes.
“But where? If you tell me where, I will get there on my own somewhere, don’t let me slow you down.”
“You won’t find it without me. Come, Uncle Chen. Let’s go!”
Master Yangming had told his protegee to use the jade plaque only as a last resort. While she personally was not at an impasse, this pendant was the key to the survival of an injured old man who had no one but her to come to his aid. One of the principles of the Society of the Mind was to work for good and to eliminate evil, and so it was her duty to use all means possible to save Chen Xijian. Besides, Ma Yongcheng’s men would soon arrive, and she had no time to continue thinking about the issue.
The steward leaning against her, they moved away from the Butcher’s body as it lay in a pool of blood that was already beginning to dry in the wind. She was pleased that the bloodthirsty man, who had killed so many of her peers in the Society of the Mind, was no longer a threat. But from their first steps she thought she felt an unpleasant chill sink into her bones.
They were coming!
Naturally slim and agile, she had developed her skill for dissimulation thanks to Wang Yangming, and the cloak given to her by Master Auditore allowed her to easily hide from anyone whenever she wished. So, she stepped aside to blend into the shadows at the edge of the path, Chen Xijian hidden behind her. As soon as their pursuer arrived, she unsheathed and executed Sword cutting as the crescent moon.
But before the blow could hit, her sword suddenly seemed to grow heavier in her hand and she was seized with a sudden malaise. A strange warmth spread through her from the bottom of her back, completely incapacitating her. It was the work of the old steward, who had used the Great Imprint, a tantric Buddhism technique, to block her vital essence from her lower back, triple burner, and life gate. This powerful neutralizing move required perfect knowledge of acupuncture points, without which touching it could have unexpected consequences, often dramatic and irreparable. The special feature of the Great Imprint in relation to the dim mak11 of the central plain was that it trapped energy using the palm. This is what had just happened to Shao Jun.
11 A group of martial arts techniques that use energy points.
Deprived of her strength, the young woman felt her lower body begin to turn numb. By the time she was kneeling on the ground, she had no strength left to lift her sword, which fell to the ground with a loud clang. Still able to move her left arm, she tried to pick up, but she had barely touched when three of the energy points in her back – zhiyang, lingtai, and shendao – were blocked. She collapsed to the ground wondering who had done it. Part of her still couldn’t accept the painful truth: Chen Xijian had betrayed her. She heard him murmur into her back, “Excuse me, Miss Favorite, this humble imperial slave has disrespected you.”
This time his respectful deference was tinged with mockery. Shao Jun had taken extra care at each stage of her journey to the mausoleum, but she had been unable to believe that the benevolent old man in her memories was to be distrusted. He had been the eunuch closest to Emperor Zhengde… How could he have fallen to Zhang Yong’s influence in just a few years?
Chen Xijian kicked the young woman’s sword, then leaned down to touch her neck – at court he would never have been allowed to show such a lack of respect – and take the jade pendant, inspecting it with a satisfied smile.
It was then Shao Jun saw the face of the man who had followed them, the one she had been about to attack before collapsing. She couldn’t believe her eyes. It was…
Ma Yongcheng!
He had pretended to be dead to avoid risking a direct confrontation with the former imperial favorite; after all, the Butcher had a reputation for never having been injured by an opponent. The plan must have been prepared in advance, as he would have needed to carry a pouch of blood to perfect the illusion. If he had been so keen to win without a fight, it must be because he considered Shao Jun to an opponent at least equal to his own level. But how had he reached this conclusion?
Standing next to the young woman, Chen Xijian felt his anger grow. He would never have put the young favorite’s life in danger if it hadn’t been a direct order from Zhang Yong. And now, Ma Yongcheng was undoubtedly going to unceremoniously slice her throat as she lay helpless on the ground. The old man hated everything about this situation.
“Chen Xijian, what did you take from the whore?” asked the Tiger, who had seen him take the pendant.
The Butcher was far from showing his elder the respect due by convention, but the latter did not take offence, bowing as he responded, “Uncle Ma, the imperial favorite mentioned a place where she could have hidden us. I noticed that she touched her chest as she spoke, so I thought that she might have an important item hidden there. And I wasn’t wrong…”
“Really? Show me?”
Ma Yongcheng sheathed his short sword, that he had kept in hand until then, fully aware that if she had not been stopped by his accomplice, Shao Jun could have sliced him in half several seconds earlier. He took the jade pendant from the old eunuch, appreciating as a connoisseur the exceptional soft sheen of the high quality “mutton fat” jade. Such a stone, if it had been the size of a child’s palm, would certainly be worthy of joining the finest pieces in the imperial collection.
“Uncle Ma,” Chen Xijian continued, “if my suspicions are correct, this item should help you find the man who hides behind Shao Jun.”
He was right: if this precious object fell into Zhang Yong’s hands, he would quickly realize his adversary was Master Yangming. Shao Jun focused on trying to free herself, but the technique that had blocked her energy flows was different from the dim mak of the Central Plain, her acupuncture points had been captured as if caught in a tightening web. And so, it was impossible for her to unblock them one by one.
Ma Yongcheng lifted the jade up in the moonlight to take a better look.
“Excellent. The imperial apartments do not have much of this variety, so it won’t be hard to find where it comes from. The venerable captain has led straight to Shao Jun without even leaving his apartments… What an exceptional man!”
Zhang Yong had predicted that Shao Jun would leave Beijing after the murder of Wei Bin, and that they could then deduce where she would reappear. The Xiaoling mausoleum was certainly not the top of the list of possibilities, but the Butcher had wanted to take a look regardless.
Arriving in Nanjing the day before, he had paid Chen Xijian a brief visit and had prepared to continue on his way south the following day. What a happy surprise it had been to learn so shortly before his departure that the young woman had been to see the steward!
“Uncle Ma, should I unblock her energy points?” the old man asked.
Busy examining the tangled engravings on the pendant in the moonlight, the Tiger had little interest in the elderly official’s questions.
“What?”
“My dim mak is not the best, and the favorite is not an ordinary young woman. I have just had to block three additional points because her pulse was already speeding up. Even invoking the power of the Buddha of Light to close the four chakras in the back, I fear that she will soon find the strength to free herself. She will soon be a problem.”
Being a disciple of yelikewen, Ma Yongcheng had not followed the esoteric Buddhist teachings of Master Singgibandan, but he had learnt a kundalini technique that allowed him to control a person’s pulse. It was by applying it to himself that he had been able to simulate his own death a few moments earlier. At the highest level, experts could slow their heartbeats to make themselves completely imperceptible, then return to life after several days underground as if nothing had happened.
But while the results were similar, in reality there were few similarities between the physiological mechanisms of the Central Plain dim mak and the Great Imprint technique, as the former was based on activating very precise points, while the latter was the result of a blockage caused by applying the palm, where the attacker’s energy had previously been concentrated – and so was more a manipulation of a zone. As a result, blockages caused by kundalini could potentially be broken, but only by those with a very high level of kung-fu. It was therefore very worrying that Shao Jun was able to overcome such a powerful technique.
“Yes, we should avoid taking risks if her kung-fu is that powerful.”
He’d had no regard for her when she had been Emperor Zhengde’s favorite, but she must have made phenomenal progress in her mastery of martial arts in order to kill Wei Bin. And if Chen Xijian thought her capable of breaking free of his dim mak, that possibility had to be taken seriously. Ma Yongcheng wouldn’t dare tell Zhang Yong the news if she escaped and disappeared again.
