by Jin Yong
The story goes that Li Zicheng had amassed a treasure from the Ming Palace in Peking and had hidden it inside a cave and that Li's poniard together with a map held the secret to this treasure. The Dashing King passed to Hu the Myrmidon both the poniard and the treasure map. These two articles eventually changed hands several times among the descendants of the four families. The descendants of myrmidons Fan, Tian and Miao continued to believe that the Hu Family was in the wrong, and this was at the root of the vendetta among the four families. The main thread of the story evolves around how different parties of the Martial Brotherhood try to claim possession of the poniard, now an heirloom of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge.
The story is set in Manchuria a hundred and thirty-seven years after the founding of the Qing Dynasty. Peking Overland Convoy mentioned in the story is an establishment set up in northern China to deliver valuables and to convey merchandise of great worth for the rich. Escorts employed by convoys are well-versed in martial arts, particularly in dispatching enemies with darts. Escorts not only protect the travellers but also the merchandise consigned to their charge.
While every effort has been made to follow as closely as possible the original in rendering the text into English, the translator has taken it upon herself to leave out certain sections or to move some paragraphs to ensure a smooth reading of the translated text. The translator has also tried to retain as much as possible the details of the story without sacrificing the flow of the narrative while capturing as much as possible the flavour and spirit of a classic martial arts fiction.
Main Characters
From the Dragon Lodge
Curio Cao 曹雲奇
(Leaping Dragon Sword) Grand Master of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge
Valour Ruan 阮士中
(Seven Stars Hand) Champion of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge
Radiant Zhou 周雲陽
(Winding Dragon Sword) A junior member of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge
Sign Tian 田青文
(Glistening Sable) Female member of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge, betrothed to Peace Tao of the Horse Spring Banditry
Pastoral Tian 田歸農
Deceased father of Sign Tian and former Grand Master of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge
Fortune Yin 殷吉
(Might of the Southern Sky) Grand Master of the Southern Branch of the Dragon Lodge
From the Horse Spring Banditry
Century Tao 陶百歲
(Commander of the Eastern Border) Chieftain of the Horse Spring Banditry, a former henchman of Pastoral Tian
Peace Tao 陶子安
Son of Century Tao, young Chieftain of the Horse Spring Banditry, betrothed to Sign Tian
Chieftain Ma 馬寨主
Brigand Chief of the Horse Spring Banditry
From the Peking Overland Convoy
Prime Xiong 熊元獻
Chief Escort of the Peking Overland Convoy
Hawk Liu 劉元鶴
Imperial Guardsman of the first rank, Brother-at-arms to Prime Xiong, invited by the Peking Overland Convoy to lay an ambush on the Horse Spring bandits
Wisdom the Great Master 靜智大師
A monk invited by the Peking Overland Convoy to lay an ambush on the Horse Spring bandits
Third Zheng 鄭三娘
(Twin Knives) Widow of an escort of the Peking Overland Convoy who died in a robbery staged by the Horse Spring bandits
From the Jadeite Eyrie Others
Wish Du 杜希孟
Lord of the Eyrie; distant cousin of Fox Hu’s mother
Steward Yu 于管家
Steward of the Jadeite Eyrie
Tree the Great Master 寶樹大師
A monk who was formerly a rural doctor called Yama the osteopath, an invited hand of Wish Du
Jiang the Senior Mentor 蔣老拳師
An invited hand of Wish Du
Profundity the Taoist 玄冥子
An invited hand of Wish Du
Spirituality the Buddhist 靈青居士
An invited hand of Wish Du
Fan the Ringleader 范幫主
Ringleader of the Cathay Outlawry, an invited hand of Wish Du
Sean Sai 賽總管
Commissioner of the Imperial Guardsmen, an invited hand of Wish Du
Phoenix Miao 苗人鳳
(Invincible under the Sky) Also known as the Gilt-faced Buddha and Phoenix the Knight-errant, an invited hand of Wish Du
Others
Miao the Myrmidon 苗衛士
Myrmidon to the Dashing King; ancestor of Phoenix Miao and Orchid Miao
Tian the Myrmidon 田衛士
Myrimidon to the Dashing King; ancestor of Pastoral Tian and Sign Tian
Hu the Myrmidon 胡衛士
Myrmidon to the Dashing King; known also as Lynx of the Sky, ancestor of Gully Hu and Fox Hu
Fan the Myrmidon 范衛士
Myrmidon to the Dashing King; ancester of Fan the Ringleader
Orchid Miao 苗若蘭
Daughter of Phoenix
Lute 琴兒
Maid to Orchid
Elder Twin 左僮
Varlet of Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain
Younger Twin 右僮
Varlet of Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain
Gully Hu 胡一刀
Father of Fox Hu; descendant of Hu the Myrmidon
Madam Gully 胡夫人
Wife of Gully Hu
Quad 平阿四
Fox Hu’s benefactor and friend
Fox Hu 胡斐
Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain, son of Gully Hu
Dragon Lodge
The Four Families
Chapter One: Casket
An arrow came whistling from the col to the east; it cut through the sky and sunk deep into the neck of a wild goose in mid-flight. The great bird, with the arrow still in its neck, spun a few times in the air before falling to the snow-covered ground.
A few hundred yards to the west, four horses could be seen galloping through the glistening snow. Hearing the sound of the arrow, the riders reined in their steeds which were fine, sturdily-built beasts. The four riders thrilled at seeing the wild goose shot down. They wished to discover who it was who had fired the arrow.
They waited.
There was no sign of a human soul on the col, only the sound of horses' hooves. The archer had simply vanished. One of the riders, a tall, thin, old man of agile and brave bearing, frowned, then spurred his horse on towards the col. The other three followed closely behind. They sped towards the other side of the mountain. About half a mile further on, five horses were galloping headlong, their hooves churning up the snow and their grey manes waving in the wind. There was no chance of catching up with them. The old man signalled to the others to halt. "Brother Fortune," he said. "Something sinister is in the air. We must be on the alert."
Brother Fortune was an old man too, but more heavily built, and with a moustache which tapered at both ends. He was dressed in the pelt of a marten and had the distinguished bearing of a wealthy merchant. He nodded at the thin man's words and wheeled his horse round to where the wild goose lay. He brandished his whip, and cracked it across the snowy ground. The big bird was lifted from the ground by the tip of the thong. He held the arrow in his left hand and examined it.
He gave a cry.
Hearing it, the other three set spurs to their horses and came to him. Brother Fortune thrust the wild goose, with the arrow still in its body, towards the old man.
"See, Brother Valour!" he shouted.
The thin old man held out his left hand and took the bird. He cried out the moment he saw the arrow, "He is here! We must be quick."
Wheeling his horse round, he set off down the mountain in pursuit.
The mountainside was a blanket of snow stretching into the distance, with not a soul in sight; it was easy to follow a trail. The other two riders were men in their prime. One was tall and bro
ad-shouldered, gallant and dignified, riding a fine horse. The other was of medium build and had a pale complexion; his nose was red with cold. The horses panted as they galloped, their breath clouding around their nostrils.
It was the fifteenth day of the third month, of the forty-fifth year of the reign of the Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong. In the south, the flowers were already in full bloom. But here, in the foothills of the Changbai Range in Manchuria, the heavy snow was only just beginning to melt. Spring was still far away. When the sun rose behind the mountains in the east and cast its dim rays on the world, there was no warmth in it.
The riders were galloping hard and soon beads of sweat appeared on their foreheads. The tall one took off his cloak and placed it on the pommel. He was clad in a blue, silk robe lined with fur, and from his belt hung a long sword. He looked grave and threatening and there was rage in his eyes; they seemed to dart fire. He urged his horse wildly on.
This was Curio Cao. He had recently become Grand Master of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge in Liaodong Peninsula. He was also known as Leaping Dragon Sword and was already well advanced in the double skill of pugilism and swordplay, a martial ability unique to the Dragon Lodge. The fellow with the pale complexion was his Junior Brother, Radiant Zhou, known as Winding Dragon Sword. The taller of the two old men was their Senior, Valour Ruan, also known as Seven Stars Hand; he was considered champion of the Northern Branch of the Dragon Lodge. The old man with the bearing of a wealthy merchant was the Grand Master of the Southern Branch of the Dragon Lodge, Fortune Yin, known as Might of the Southern Sky. Their meeting here today was of paramount importance to both the Northern and the Southern Branches. Fortune had travelled hundreds of miles to the northeastern border to be with them.
The Dragon Lodge had been founded in the early Qing dynasty, in the mid-seventeenth century. It had started as one single house but at the turn of the eighteenth century, during the Reign of Emperor Kangxi, two elder protégés of the Founder Grand Master had fallen out with each other. Consequently, the Lodge had divided into the Northern Branch and the Southern Branch on the demise of the Grand Master. The Southern Branch was known for its agility and bravery, the Northern Branch for its intensity and ruthlessness. The origin and structural form of the martial arts practised by the two branches were similar in every respect, but they differed drastically in their application.
* * *
The animals which they rode were thoroughbred horses of the border region and they made good speed. Soon the five horses in front were within sight.
Curio cried out, "Halt, if you are with us!"
The five riders took no notice of his command, but spurred their horses on.
Curio shouted at the top of his voice, "Halt or we will attack."
One of the five wheeled his stallion while the others galloped on. Curio rode ahead. The stranger fitted an arrow to his bow and aimed it at Curio's chest. Curio was a man of courage and skill, and was not a bit shaken. Cracking his whip, he cried, "Is that Peace, our family friend?"
The man had fine features and slanting eyebrows. He was in his early twenties and was very beautifully dressed. At Curio's cry, he laughed out aloud, "Watch out for the arrows." Instantly three arrows sped through the air, one above the other, aimed in quick succession at his head, trunk and lower limbs respectively.
Curio was surprised by the great speed at which the three arrows travelled; his heart trembled. Lashing his whip, he managed to ward off the arrows aimed at his head and trunk. He simultaneously pulled in his reins hard, and his horse reared. The third arrow sped between the beast's four limbs, narrowly missing the belly. The young man laughed aloud, pulled round his horse and galloped off into the distance.
Curio was purple with rage and wanted to spur his horse on in pursuit of the archer. Valour cried out, "Easy, now. He will never get away." Dismounting, he picked up the three arrows from the snowy ground. They were the same as the arrow that had killed the wild goose. Fortune's face darkened and he muttered, "So it is that brat!"
"Let us wait for our Sister," said Curio. "We shall see what she has to say."
The four waited a while but no sound of horses' hooves reached their ears. Curio became impatient. "I'll go and find her," he cried. He put his spurs to his horse and charged back in the direction from which he had come. Valour watched him disappear into the distance and sighed, "It's hard for him."
"I beg your pardon, Brother Valour?" asked Fortune. Valour shook his head and made no reply.
Curio rode a few miles and found an unattended grey horse. A lady in white was kneeling, searching for something in the snow. Curio cried, "Sister, is everything well?"
The lady did not reply but drew herself up to her full height suddenly. In her hand was a thin, golden object that glittered in the sunlight. Curio moved closer, and took it from her. It was a tiny bodkin made of gold, about three inches long, tapering to a sharp point, and of very fine craftsmanship. On the side of the bodkin was engraved a tiny character, "An," meaning "Peace." The bodkin looked like a plaything, and at the same time like a secret weapon. Curio frowned.
"Where did you get it?" he asked.
The lady replied, "You were all gone and I just followed. When I got here, a horse suddenly caught up with me from behind. It was making great speed and overtook me in no time. The rider waved and threw me this little bodkin. I was .... I was ...." She suddenly blushed and could say no more.
Curio gazed at her. She lowered her eye-lashes. She was extremely beautiful, and Curio's heart contracted within him. Then he grew suspicious and asked, "Don't you know whom we are after?"
"Whom?" returned the lady.
To this he replied coldly, "Are you sure you really don't know?"
She raised her head and answered, "How could I know?"
"It is your true love," said he.
"Peace Tao?" burst forth the lady. No sooner was this out of her mouth than her face crimsoned completely.
Curio's brows darkened. "I only said that it was your true love and now you have given yourself away."
Hearing his words, the lady flushed even more. Tears glistened in her clear, dark eyes.She stamped her foot in protest. "He ...."
"What about him?" asked Curio.
To this the lady replied, "He is my husband-to-be. Of course he is my true love."
Curio was wild with rage and whipped out his long sword. But the lady advanced one step and cried, "Kill me if you have the stomach for it." Curio gnashed his teeth, gazed at her slightly uptilted face and was at once full of tender affection for the girl.
"Let the matter end now," he answered. He reversed his sword and aimed it furiously at his own chest.
The lady responded with alacrity, whipped out her sword with her hand reversed and in no time swung her arm around ready to charge. Then they came together lashing and smiting with their swords until sparks flew.
Curio said bitterly, "As you no longer care for me, what is the point in letting me live and be miserable?"
The lady returned the sword to its scabbard slowly and lowered her voice, "As you already know, it is my father who betrothed me to him. Could I have decided things?"
Curio's eyes shone. "I shall wander about the world with you," he said. "We will live together on uninhabited islands or way out in the high mountains, away from this world, till the end of our lives. Why do you turn away from me?"
"Brother," sighed the lady, "You love me to distraction, that I know; I am not a fool. How could I fail to appreciate your kindness? You are Grand Master of the Northern Branch of our Dragon Lodge; it would be a shattering blow to the name of the Dragon Lodge if anything were to happen between us. How are you going to preserve your honour among the outlawry?"
"For you, I would dash myself to pieces, protested Curio. I care not if the sky falls down upon me, Grand Master or not."
A slight smile crossed the lady's face as they joined hands. "Brother, what I dislike is this quick and violent temper of yours."
&nb
sp; Hearing her words, Curio could go on no further but checked himself and sighed, "Why did you handle his plaything like a pet?" asked Curio.
"Did he give it to me?" returned the lady. "When has he been near me?"
"This is an expensive toy," said Curio. "Would people use it as a secret weapon? His name is clearly engraved on the bodkin. Who else could have given it to you, if not he?"
The lady became angry and said, "If you choose to become suspicious, you had better stop talking to me now!" She sprang astride the grey horse. She then laid her hands on the bridle and instantly the beast was away at full gallop.
Curio immediately mounted his horse, kicked it fiercely with his heels, and galloped away in pursuit. He overtook the lady in no time. Moving forward, he held the bridle of the grey horse with his right hand and addressed her. "Sister, now listen."
The lady lashed her whip across his hand and shouted, "Let me go. Don't be ridiculous." Curio would not listen. The next minute, her whip came slashing at the back of his hand, leaving a red weal.
The lady regretted her blow. "Pray tell me, why do you come after me like this?" asked the lady.
