Commander Feishen agreed to let Famin Jie accompany him as the spiritual leader of his forces. “I beseech you, comrade, to keep your distance from the fighting. If your presence is truly required as you believe, then you must stay away from the enemy’s reach.”
****
Though Sun Xin was greatly determined to succeed, his heart grew troubled. The task he would undertake was similar to the one he undertook against the pirate lord Mizushima and the new enemy he had just faced— this “Kurr”. His inability to complete that task now clouded his judgment and impacted his confidence. He also grew worrisome over the Swordsman’s Curs. It clouded his spirit in the heat of combat. His meditations in solitude no longer sufficed to calm his troubled mind. He sought the counsel of his master. He told him all his woes and troubles and the details of his nightmarish duel with Kurr.
“You and Kurr can be presented as good and evil, you obviously being the good and Kurr being the representation of the latter. The difference between you two is this. You, my student, like all other men, have both the light and the darkness within. The darkness however, most often dwarfs the light; such is the plight of all those who are not in harmony with the Way. The Curse that lives within you is merely that very same darkness residing inside the hearts of all men, nothing more. The catch is that it manifests itself more strongly in your swordsmanship. The more it grows the more you become like Kurr who by nature is pure darkness. Through the Way, light can dwarf the darkness and only then will you be able to stand your ground against Kurr. After all, what is darkness but the mere absence of light? Kurr would not be able to comprehend it.” Such were the words of wisdom Master Lo imparted upon his student and adopted son, Sun Xin.
“Show me, Master. Finish my training. I long to overcome the darkness within myself so that I my sword would be not be guided by my fury alone.” He kowtowed before him and Master Lo took pity. “I have become lost and my judgment has become clouded by doubt and fear. I no longer confidence in my own discernment. I do not understand what it is that I am missing. I have spent ten long years of life in search of truth and justice, but all I have found beneath the sharp edge of my sword was more despair and an endless sea of questions to which I have no answer.”
“Come, let us go outside. There is something I must impart unto you,” said Master Lo. In one of the Forbidden City’s larger gardens Master Lo took Xin for his final lessons in the Way of the Lo Family’s sword art. He began with his introduction of the Way to Sun Xin. “The Way is the cause of all things that exist both physical and spiritual. To have been the originator of the immeasurably complex and balanced reality, it can only be the source of all truth, wisdom, and knowledge. It is Heaven’s revelation to us. This is the lesson I wish to impart to you: When a warrior is in the will of Heaven and is in accord with the Way he begins to understand these truths and achieves gifts far more precious than weapons and armor, gold and riches. They are peace, clarity, and effortless action— the Wu Wei of the swordsman. It is by far more effective than sheer force and brute strength fueled by fury with which you have grown accustomed. This is why the sword art of my family rests upon this truth. Without those gifts granted to a swordsman of the Way, victory against the darkness is impossible. Heaven’s favor is not upon him. Peace, clarity, and effortless action –are these not the very things that would put your mind and heart to rest, Xin?” Xin pondered deeply upon the words his master had spoken. He did not even know where to begin.
“You said I could achieve this through the transformation of my mind,” recalled Xin.
“Indeed. Only Heaven can do that now. If you truly desire to live in accordance to the Way, you must completely humble yourself. Be still and admit your weakness and emptiness outside of the Will of Heaven. Ask with absolute sincerity, and Heaven’s favor will be upon you. Do this right, and the light within you will soon dwarf the darkness. Peace, clarity, and effortless action would be your greatest weapons and with the training of the heart, spirit, and body, you can develop them fully. As part of the consequence, you will notice a drastic difference in your swordsmanship, Xin. It would be effortless, free-flowing, and far above your best techniques being that it would emulate the nature of the Way.”
It was then that Xin took into full account all that his master had said though yet without full understanding. His heart yearned to know and his genuine desire to follow his master’s counsel helped put his mind at ease.
Throughout the eve of the Ming Armies’ departure, he meditated in complete solitude in stillness and in quiet. With humility and sincerity within his heart he did plead his case before Heaven. He did not eat and did not drink and he did not sleep. By dawn he felt no exhaustion, no hunger, and no thirst. He cast aside his pride and all his anger and hatred for just one evening so that he could receive, but a quick taste of the enlightenment his Master Lo and Famin Jie had already discovered.
“If you are indeed, Heaven, I desire to see the truth. I beseech you to reveal to me the meaning of peace in the imminent battles. Grant me a sign that I cannot deny.” When his meditation had come to a close, his countenance emulated a mysterious newfound peace that did not go unnoticed by Famin Jie.
“You are different today, my dear friend. Heaven goes before us, there is little to fear,” he said. Xin nodded, the gaze of his steely eyes oozed with newfound determination and focus. He proceeded to join the assembly that accompanied General He Jin and the Scholars. He did realize it yet, but the words Master Lo had imparted to him would forever change how he understood the meaning of battle.
As Sun Xin was meditating in solitude, Famin Jie conversed with Buff Baby under the night sky. Buff Baby was pensive and much quieter than his usual self.
“What is on your mind, friend?” asked Famin Jie. Buff Baby opened up to Famin Jie and shared his story. “I never would have thought I would ever find myself in the Forbidden City. I could not help but think of how my path had just changed drastically in the course of mere days. Before I had resorted to small-time banditry my name was ‘Bao’ and I was a famous prize fighter and brawler,” he said proudly. “I was gifted with incredible strength that had made me both admired and shunned since my youth. I had built my body to the maximum. Of this I was completely proud. Time came when another fighter challenged me in front of my followers. Not only did I lose the fight, I had lost my honor as well. I had lost everything else soon after that. Anger and resentment consumed me and I ran to a different province where I was unknown. After defeating many small-time fighters in other underground tournaments I had gained a small following. It wasn’t long before I started stealing from the rich give to the poor whom I saw were oppressed. In the back of my mind I always knew that it would be just a matter of time until misfortune would catch up with me. That’s when I had lost all my men, and the lot of you found me barely alive.” He tried hard to keep himself from shedding tears. Mourning the loss of his brothers was something he had not yet had the chance to do. “I will avenge their deaths. I swear it.”
For all his size and great strength, Bao, now known by his bandit name Buff Baby, was in reality, a kind spirit. Though loud and boastful at times, he was loyal and shone a heart of gold. Famin Jie realized this immediately and did not judge him.
“I can sympathize with your story, Sir Bao, for I too have lost much in life. But the mercy and grace of Heaven has restored much more than what I had lost with things that cannot be measured by earthly standards,” said Famin Jie.
“You too can achieve this gift of restoration. I can also assure you that the deaths of your friends were not in vain. What may seem to be a disaster in one day may turn out to be an unexpected blessing in the next.”
Upon the arrival of dawn, one hundred thousand soldiers and convoys of supply wagons and artillery carts poured out of the gates of the Great Wall and proceeded to circle around the Gulf of Beizhili to attack the mutant forces of the Terukk from the North. A dozen bands of cavalry forces followed close behind. Not long after the soldiers departe
d to the north, scores of ships from the Ming Imperial Navy sailed west from the harbor near Tianjin to meet in synchronization with the invading forces at Liaodong Peninsula. A military maneuver of this scale in short time was unprecedented in the history of the Middle Kingdom. Never before has a campaign such as this ever been done. But it was after all, a more desperate time, one where the very survival of the empire hung in the balance and hung most heavily on the commanders –the few chosen to lead the attack on the Terukk priests upon whom the power of the mutant forces depended greatly.
Famin Jie and company rode alongside Sun Xin and General He Jin. They have been outfitted with custom lamellar armor designed by Shen Zhu the armorer of the Scholars. Jirgal was apparently uncomfortable and unaccustomed to armor and he constantly fidgeted.
“I have a terrible itch in my upper back and this blasted armor is keeping me from reaching it for a good scratch,” Jirgal complained. Buff Baby let out a hearty laugh and handed him a rough old chopstick which he quickly used as a backscratcher. His eyes came to a near cross as he relieved the horrid itching. Xin has had his eye on Zuo Shilong since their departure and remembered what the abbot of Shaolin Monastery had requested of him. He pulled in close to the monk.
“When I made my way to Beijing from the central provinces I made a brief visit to a certain monastery,” said Xin. Zuo Shilong’s narrow eyes widened and turned to face Xin.
“The benevolent abbot wishes you well and hopes you are in good health. He has worried about you.” Zuo Shilong was not sure how to react, but found himself unexpectedly delighted at the news. He too wished for the safety for the monastery and his fellow monks. For a fleeting moment, he actually missed them and the simple life he once lived in safety and seclusion in the temple.
The sea of soldiers navigated across the wilderness with good pace, and the sound of their thundering footfalls resounded across the land. They were entering the territory of the Nuzhen nation, a minority peoples that have established a rival state at the northern edges of the Middle Kingdom throughout different dynasties. They paid tribute to the Ming Empire nonetheless. They have been at odds with their cousins the Menggu warrior horsemen who had once occupied the Middle Kingdom for one hundred years before the Great Ming Empire was established.
The Nuzhen as well did not take the Terukk into liking and have made efforts to distance themselves and keep them at bay. Commander He Feishen sent teams of envoys ahead of the marching army to notify the Nuzhen chieftains of the passage of the Ming Imperial Army. They had been previously been given notice, though due to cultural rivalries, have declined to aid the Ming in battle. To the south, the Imperial Navy of thirty war vessels of various specialties and sizes cruised westward, led by the Scholars’ warship the Phoenix Spirit and was heavily armed with two dozen cannon and two shielded rocket platforms. At the ship’s helm stood Admiral Han Bin –an old ally of the Scholars. Even the Hongzhi Emperor had wished to board, but stayed at the palace under the advisement of Lu Guanying and Chancellor Wu Chan.
At the ship’s stern, Tian Qiu studied Big Bang’s update on a hand book of the Ming Empire’s latest developments on weapons technology. It was a manual poetically named The Fire Dragon Manual. He couldn’t help but marvel at the innovation behind the ‘fire and thunder’ weapons. They were so simple yet very effective at improving the range, accuracy, and reliability of the Ming Dynasty’s trademark weapons. It was also not unusual to Tian Qiu that Big Bang signed his name as “Big Bang” on the book. It was a good day to field test the new weaponry. Towards the north where nearly an eighth of the Ming Empire’s forces currently marched, the sun had begun to set once again. They set up camp in a large green field sparsely populated with trees, surrounded by hills and small mountains.
By nightfall scouts reported clear passage for another day’s march. Commander Feishen could rest with less anxiety as he ordered rotating patrols to keep a lookout on the outer perimeters of the encampment. Sitting around a fire, the company of Famin Jie and Master Lo ate in silence and pondered what the coming days would bring for them. Famin Jie pulled out an antique classical instrument. It was called Guqin— a zither of seven strings commonly associated with artists, poets, and philosophers. He began to pluck and strum the melancholy notes. It produced a resonating melody that spoke to the company. “A great responsibility has been entrusted to you, my brothers, but know that Heaven has already prepared the outcome of the battle. Steady your heart to discern the promptings of Heaven and keep your eyes set towards righteousness,” he recited melodiously. After Famin Jie had finished playing his piece, Xin reached under his garment and produced a bamboo flute and began to play just as he always had during his journeys through the provinces. The message of the music was clear though it had no words. Under the vast expanse of the night sky the flute spoke to all who were near enough to hear it. “From pain, anguish, and hardship we are made strong. Suffering is necessary to find strength.”
14 RECLAIMING THE PENINSULA
“I DO NOT EVEN KNOW HOW I ended up with you guys. You’re all crazy! I should not even be here; I am no warrior. I am a trader! I sit in a wagon all day singing songs and sipping wine!” said Jirgal as he scratched his head. Buff Baby laughed out loud though tried not to offend him.
“Do not worry,” said Zuo Shilong. “I will watch out for you.”
“You’re a descendant of the fierce Menggu horsemen are you not? Where is your conquering barbarian spirit?” said Buff Baby subtly trying to inspire Jirgal’s warrior heritage. Jirgal glance at him with a comically resentful look.
“We are not barbarians! But I am not at all like my kinsmen; they do not even see me as one of their own. It has been many years since I have experienced the traditional Menggu life in the steppe and I had wrongfully spent all of my father’s money in the city until a wagon and two horses were all I had left, until recently anyway. I will just get in your way,” Jirgal said. “My saber is rusted, my archery skills are unrefined, and I can barely manage this horse.”
“Your instincts will return to you in the heat of battle. Do not doubt yourself, friend. I sense there is more to you than meets the eye… even your own,” said Buff Baby encouragingly. “Meeting you all is one of the best things that have happened to me in a very long time. I am truly honored to be with such a unique lot of good men.” It became obvious that Buff Baby fought the urge to shed a tear in an effort to retain his tough persona, but Famin Jie saw right through it and smiled.
“Our union as a fellowship is by no mere accident. There is a grand plan for us and the trials we are to face in the coming days would only serve to make us closer as brothers,” said Famin Jie.
“Except him, I think,” said Jirgal pointing at Big Bang who sat on a supply wagon full of munitions. “If we get any closer to him an explosion just might blow us all away from each other.” There was a second of silence until Buff Baby burst into uncontrollable laughter that could be heard all across the ranks. Big Bang proceeded as if he had heard nothing, apparently still locked away in his own world, looking forward to his next big explosion.
Master Lo leaned over to Famin Jie saying, “You make quite unusual friends, brother. So much rests upon them who seem most unlikely to accomplish much. I cannot help but be amazed at the series of unlikely circumstances that have brought all of us together to end up here at the dawn of one of the greatest battles in history.”
“Indeed. It is also in this way that Heaven displays infinite wisdom and sovereignty through the most unlikely of people, even the outcasts,” said Famin Jie. “It is in such circumstances that we can observe the supernatural unfold through the unexpected and surprising.”
Days of marching have finally brought the army to the far outer edges of the mutant encampment. Scouts returning from their surveillance have reported the presence of guard towers surrounding a large outpost guarded by a light military presence. It was obstructing the main pass that led to the primary enemy installation some several li away. Commander Feishen ordered t
wo dozen of the new cannons to be brought to the front line while General He Jin summoned his cavalry units to stand by the artillery from the rear. The brunt of the army held their position close behind to await orders.
From atop a tall rocky hill, Sun Xin observed the movement of the Ming Forces. It was truly a majestic and terrifying sight. Tens of thousands of professional soldiers in armor and thousands more on horseback moved in precise unison, marching in tight-knit square formations spread out across the plain. Their spears were seemingly as numerous as the grass of the fields. From the view of his spyglass he observed the movements of artillery and cavalry units move to the top of grassy knolls. Further south into the distance, the forts and towers of the enemy outposts awakened with activity and movement as they desperately assembled to hopelessly defend against the unexpected arrival of Ming imperial forces.
Field commanders shouted from every direction. Flags were waved and drums were struck. Moments later, the Ming cannons thundered and sent dozens upon dozens of fiery bombs blazing and arching through the air and into the outpost. One guard tower collapsed and the outlying structures were completely destroyed in minutes, obliterated by the bombardment. Fires spread quickly as hundreds of the mutant forces were left in utter disarray, running wildly in every direction and unable to properly respond to the chaos. It was hard to think that these very same mutants were once living, breathing people who have dedicated their lives to protecting and serving the emperor in the name of their country. What lies and deceit could have possibly caused almost every member of the elite Imperial Guard to betray the nation and emperor they swore to protect? How many false promises were told that would cause them to give up their very humanity to serve an alien power? To Xin it was incomprehensible. Only the darkness of supernatural evil would have caused such an occurrence. Although the mutants needed to be eradicated, Xin felt regret for their loss.
The Sage, the Swordsman and the Scholars Page 23
