by Jin Yong
Zhou Zhiruo rolled her eyes; faking anger she said, "If you want to flatter me, you don’t need to say my martial art is good. If I can master only 10 or 20% of Shifu’s ability, I would be satisfied. If you can teach me one or two techniques from your Jiu Yang Shen Gong and Qian Kun Da Nuo Yi, I would be very grateful.”
Zhang Wuji hesitated without answering. Zhou Zhiruo continued, "Do you think I am not fit to become Zhang Da Jiaozhu’s disciple?”
"No!” Zhang Wuji said, "I only aware that your internal energy technique is entirely different than mine. I’ll say our techniques took opposite approach from the start. If you learn my internal energy technique, you are facing a difficult and dangerous problem.”
"It’s all right if you don’t want to teach me,” Zhou Zhiruo said, "The worst thing that can happen if I learn martial art skill is I fail; how can there be any danger?”
"No, no!” Zhang Wuji was serious, "My Jiu Yang Shen Gong is purely ‘yang gang’ [positive/male and hard/firm] in nature. Right now you are training in the Emei Pai’s internal energy, which takes the purely ‘yin rou’ approach. If you also train my internal energy technique, then the ‘yin’ and ‘yang’ would collide in your body. Unless it is a martial art genius like my Tai Shifu; he might be able to combine water and fire, harmonize the firm and the supple. Otherwise, if you miss a single step, you’ll face a terrible, terrible disaster. Mmm, let’s wait until your internal energy is strong enough, I’ll teach you the Qian Kun Da Nuo Yi theory and you can start training it.”
Zhou Zhiruo laughed, "I was only joking,” she said, "Later on I will always be together with you; your martial art skill, my martial art skill, what difference does it make? I am too lazy, your Jiu Yang Shen Gong is very difficult to train, even if you force me to practice, I am afraid it will be too difficult for me.” Hearing her saying this, Zhang Wuji felt sweetness in his heart.
With love and happiness in their hearts, time was passing swiftly. Several months had passed in a flash. Zhou Zhiruo’s internal energy had been completely recovered; she did not feel anything unusual, hence she believed the poison had been completely expelled from her system.
One particular day, they saw the peach blossom trees on the eastern side of the island were blooming beautifully. Zhang Wuji picked several branches of the peach blossom and planted them in front of Yin Li’s grave. He saw the piece of wood he carved with the characters ‘The Tomb of my Beloved Wife, Zhu’Er Yin Li’ was laying flat on the ground; perhaps it was knocked down by some wild animals. He picked it up and re-inserted it deeply to the ground. He remembered how his cousin lived a miserable life; perhaps she did not even have a single day of happiness.
While he was still reveling in sadness, suddenly he heard the clamoring noise of seagulls on the sea. Lifting his head up, he saw a ship in the distant sailing toward the island. He was overjoyed at this unexpected scene and loudly shouted, "Yifu, Zhiruo, there’s a ship coming in, there’s a ship coming in!”
Xie Xun and Zhou Zhiruo heard his shout and they rushed together to the shore. In a trembling voice Zhou Zhiruo said, "How can there be a ship coming to this desolate island?”
"It’s strange indeed,” Zhang Wuji said, "Could it be that they are pirates?”
In less than an hour that ship had dropped its anchor offshore, and sent a small boat to the island. Zhang Wuji, three people, waiting for them on the beach. They saw the sailors on that small boat wear Mongolian naval military uniforms. Zhang Wuji’s heart was stirred, "Could it be that Miss Zhao was pricked by her conscience and returned to this island?” Casting a sidelong glance toward Zhou Zhiruo, he saw that her beautiful eyebrows were slightly wrinkled, while her chest was heaving up and down; apparently she was very much concerned.
A short moment later the small boat landed. Five sailors stepped on to the beach. Their leader, a naval officer, bowed respectfully toward Zhang Wuji and said, "Are you Zhang Wuji, Zhang Gongzi [honorable master Zhang]?”
"I am,” Zhang Wuji replied, "Who are you, Officer?”
As that officer heard Zhang Wuji answering in affirmative, he looked delighted and relieved. "Xiao Ren’s [lit. little/lowly person, a subordinate addressing him/herself] humble name is Pastai. I truly am fortunate to be able to find Gongzi today. I have received order to find Zhang Gongzi and Xie Daxia and take you back to the Central Earth.” He did mention Zhang and Xie, two people’s names, but did not mention Zhou Zhiruo.
"Officer has toiled to come from afar, I wonder who has sent you?” Zhang Wuji asked.
Pastai replied, "Xiao Ren is a subordinate of Tawa-chelu, the local naval commander in charge of Fujian defense. We have received order from General Pordu to set sail and meet you. Altogether General Pordu dispatches eight ships to search for Zhang Gongzi and Xie Daxia on the water around Fujian, Zhejiang and Guangdong, three provinces. I can’t believe in the end Xiao Ren is the one who render this great merit.” His meaning was obvious; apparently his superior had promised promotion and great reward to whoever succeeded in finding Zhang Wuji.
Hearing that unfamiliar Mongolian general’s name, Zhang Wuji thought the general must have received Zhao Min’s order to find him at any cost. "How did your honorable superior find out about me?” he asked.
"According to General Pordu’s instructions,” Pastai replied, "Zhang Gongzi is a nobleman of high status, also a great hero of the present age. Xiao Ren was ordered that after we find you, we must serve Gongzi attentively. As for why we must find Gongzi, Xiao Ren’s rank is too low for the Mongolian General to explain the reason.”
"Is this Shaomin Junzhu’s idea?” Zhou Zhiruo interrupted.
Pastai was startled, "Shaomin Junzhu?” he asked, "Xiao Ren has not had any good fortune to see her.”
Zhou Zhiruo coldly said, "What good fortune or bad fortune?”
"Shaomin Junzhu is our Mongolia’s most beautiful woman,” Pastai said, "No, she is the world’s most beautiful woman; well-versed in both pen and sword [wen wu quan cai - skilled in both literature and military], she is the Ruyang Wangye’s [prince of Ruyang] ‘qian jin’ [lit. thousand gold, the most valuable, honorable term for a daughter]. How can Xiao Ren have the good fortune of seeing her ‘jin mian’ [lit. golden face]?”
"Humph,” Zhou Zhiruo snorted, but didn’t say anything further.
"Yifu,” Zhang Wuji said to Xie Xun, "In that case, let us go aboard.”
"Let’s go back to our cave to fetch some things first before we embark the ship,” Xie Xun said, "Officer, please wait here for a moment.”
Pastai said, "Let Xiao Ren and the sailors get your luggage.”
Xie Xun laughed and said, "What luggage do we have? Please don’t bother.” Taking Zhang Wuji and Zhou Zhiruo’s hands, he went to the back of the hill and said, "Out of the blue Zhao Min sends a ship to take us back; she must have a sinister plan. How do you think we must deal with it?”
"Yifu,” Zhou Zhiruo said, "Do you suppose ... do you suppose Zhao Min ... she might be on board?”
"If this little witch is onboard, that would be better,” Xie Xun said, "We must watch our food and drink; and not to fall into her trap again.”
"That’s right,” Zhang Wuji said, "We’d better bring the salted fish and the dried fruit we have collected, also water from this island. We must not eat the food from the ship.”
"I think Zhao Min is not onboard,” Xie Xun said, "She wants to copy those Persians’ plot; she lures us onboard, once we are on the open sea, then she’d send Mongolian navy ships to open fire and sink our ship.”
Zhang Wuji’s heart sank, with a trembling voice he said, "She ... is she that evil? She has left us stranded on this desolate island, let us live or die on our own, without any chance to return to the Central Earth, wasn’t that enough? The three of us would not bother her anymore, would we?”
With a cold laugh Xie Xun said, "You have freed the masters of the Six Major Sects she held captive in the Wan An Temple; how could she not hate you to the bone? Besides, the Cult Leader of the Ming Cult
is missing, at this moment, everybody in the Ming Cult, from the top to the bottom, is involved in the large scale search and rescue operation. There is no guarantee that they will not find this desolate island. Only by burying us in the bottom of the ocean floor would she be free of trouble forever.”
"Firing their cannons?” Zhang Wuji said, "Wouldn’t that mean Pastai and all these Mongolian sailors will deliver their lives in vain?”
Xie Xun laughed out loud, followed by a sigh, he said, "Wuji, Child, those people wield power over the entire Mongolian armed forces; how can they value human lives? If they were like you, kind hearted and merciful, how can the Mongolians conquer four oceans, sweep hundreds of nations? From the ancient times, which great hero, who earned great honor, did not take the bull by its horns, if they must kill then they killed? Let’s not talk about ordinary officers and soldiers, they would even kill their own father and mother, their sons and daughters.”
Zhang Wuji was silent for half a day then grimly said, "Yifu is right.” He had always known that the Mongolians were brutal and merciless toward their enemies, but surely they would cherish their own subordinates and people? At this moment, listening to Xie Xun, he felt as if his heart was torn in two: he wanted to return to the Central Earth, to hold command over the heroes and warriors in driving the Tartars away; but speaking about governing a country to maintain peace and security, he was convinced it was not in his power to do so.
"Yifu,” Zhou Zhiruo said, "What shall we do?”
"What is in my daughter-in-law’s mind?” Xie Xun asked.
"Can we not board the boat?” Zhou Zhiruo said, "Let’s tell those Mongolian sailors that we enjoy living in this island and do not have any desire to return to the Central Plains.”
Xie Xun smiled and said, "That is a naive little girl’s naive idea. We do not want to go on board, do you think the enemy will let us go just like that? Let’s say we kill everybody on this ship, officers and sailors alike, do you think they will not dispatch ten more, eight more ships to find us? Besides, there are a lot of important matters in the Central Plains, waiting for Wuji to attend to. How can we let him grow old and die on this deserted island?”
Zhou Zhiruo’s pretty face blushed profusely. "Please give us instruction; we’ll listen to Yifu’s advice,” she said in a low voice.
Xie Xun thought of a plan for a moment and then said, "Let’s do it this way.” Zhang Wuji and Zhou Zhiruo listened to his plan and agreed that it was a marvelous plan.
Zhang Wuji went to Yin Li’s grave to pray and shed some farewell tears before embarking the ship. To fight boredom on the island, Zhou Zhiruo had carved many little wooden horses and wooden figurines. She wrapped everything in one big bundle and carried it on her back.
Zhang Wuji checked the cabin, inside and out, very carefully. Indeed Zhao Min was not onboard; he also made sure that there was nobody onboard who might do them harm. He noticed that the officers and sailors were not martial art practitioners.
After the ship had weighed the anchor, when they only set sail for dozens of ‘zhang’s, suddenly Zhang Wuji reached back and grabbed Pastai’s right wrist, while his other hand snatched the saber hanging on Pastai’s belt, and pressed the saber behind his neck. "Listen to my order,” he shouted, "Tell the helmsman to turn eastward!”
Pastai was shocked, "Zhang Gong ... Gongzi,” he trembled, "Xiao ... Xiao Ren does not dare to offend you.”
"Listen to my orders,” Zhang Wuji said, "If you disobey, I am going to chop your head.”
"Yes, yes!” Pastai said, and shouted his order, "Helms ... helmsman! Quick ... turn the ship eastward!” The helmsman turned the rudder to follow his command. The ship circled around the island and sailed to the east.
Zhang Wuji shouted, "You Mongolians are setting a trap to harm us. I have seen through your scheme. Quickly admit it! If you lie to me, I’ll take your life.” Having said that he raised his right palm and slapped the ship’s edge. Wood debris flew everywhere, as a big chunk of wood came off from the ship’s edge. The officers and sailors onboard watched with amazement.
Pastai said, "Gongzi, please understand: Xiao Ren received my superior’s order to take Gongzi home; we don’t have any other intention. Xiao Ren ... Xiao Ren only hoped to render a service and receive the rewards, we really do not have any ill-intention.”
Zhang Wuji knew he was telling the truth; thereupon he released Pastai’s wrist, walked to the bow, and lifted the iron anchor with his left hand, while his right hand also reached out and lifted another anchor. "Everybody, watch this!” he shouted, while throwing both anchors to the air. The Mongolians gasped and then cried out in alarm.
As the anchors fell back down, using the Qian Kun Da Nuo Yi technique, one hand snatched, the other pushed, Zhang Wuji threw the anchors back up to the air. He did this three times, before he finally caught the anchors and gently put them down on the bow. The Mongolians have always admired brave warriors; seeing this astonishing demonstration of prowess, they bowed down in respect and did not dare to disobey.
Following Zhang Wuji’s instructions, the helmsman drove the ship to the east. They sailed on the open sea for three days, until the only thing they could see was mighty waves whose heights reach the sky. Xie Xun anticipated that Zhao Min only dispatched battleships to search on the water around Fujian and Guangdong area; right now their ship had sailed deep into the ocean, so there was no way the battleships would find them.
After five days, they instructed the helmsman to turn northward. They continued heading north for more than twenty days, so that even if Zhao Min was ten times smarter, it would be difficult for her to guess the location of the ship correctly. Thereupon, they instructed the helmsman to turn the ship westward, towards the Central Earth. During their voyage of more than a month, Zhang Wuji and the others did not touch the food from the ship; they either ate the provisions brought from the island, or caught fish from the ocean.
Around the seventh hour one day [between 11am - 1pm], they saw land in the distance. The Mongolian officers and sailors had been on the sea too long; as they saw they were going home, everybody cheered in delight. By the nightfall, the ship had dropped its anchor by the shore.
The landscape of that area was mountainous and the seawater was really deep so the ship was able to moor right next to the stony shore.
"Wuji,” Xie Xun said, "Go ashore and find out what kind of place is this?” Zhang Wuji complied and flew ashore.
He explored for a while and everywhere he went, he saw green thick forest; with the snow that started to melt on the ground, turning the soil into deep mud. After walking for a while, the forest got darker. All around him were gigantic ancient pine trees, the trunks were so big that each one needed several people join hands to encircle it. He flew up a tall tree to get a better view, and no matter which direction he looked he could not see the edge of the forest. Surprisingly, in this sea of trees, he did not see any sign of other human beings either. He thought even if he went further down the forest, he would see the same thing; therefore, he decided to return to the ship.
Before reaching the shore, he had already heard miserable shouts; and these extremely sad and shrill sounds were coming from the ship. He was shocked, rushed to the shore, and immediately flew to the bow.
He saw the deck was full of bodies scattered around; they were the Mongolian officers’ and soldiers’ corpses, from Pastai down to the last sailor. Xie Xun and Zhou Zhiruo were standing on the deck, but he did not see any trace of the enemy.
In shock he asked, "Yifu, Zhiruo, are you all right? Where is the enemy?”
"What enemy?” Xie Xun asked, "Did you see any trace of them?”
"No! But these Mongolians ...” Zhang Wuji said.
"Zhiruo and I killed them,” Xie Xun said.
Zhang Wuji was even more stunned, "I did not expect these Mongolians would dare to harm us as soon as we return to the Central Earth,” he said.
"They did not dare to harm us,” Xie Xun explained, "I killed them
to close their mouths. As they are dead, Zhao Min will not know that we have returned to the Central Earth. From now on, she is in the bright place while we stay in the dark. It will be easier for us to exact our revenge.”
Zhang Wuji sucked a mouthful of cold air, and was speechless for half a day.
"What?” Xie Xun dryly said, "Are you blaming me for my cruelty? Tartars’ officers and soldiers are our enemies; are we supposed to treat them with the kindness of Bodhisattva?”
Zhang Wuji was silent; he remembered how these people had been taking care of them attentively, without the slightest degree of carelessness. Although they were enemies, he would not have the heart to kill them in cold blood like this.
"As the saying goes,” Xie Xun continued, "Those with small hearts are not people of noble characters, those who are not cruel are not real men. We don’t want to harm others, others want to harm us. That Zhao Min has treated us like this so we simply follow her way and do to her what she did to us.”
"Yifu is right,” Zhang Wuji said. But looking at Pastai and the others’ corpses, he could not hold tears from flowing down his cheeks.
"Make fire, burn the boat down,” Xie Xun said, "Zhiruo, search the bodies, take all gold and silver you can find. Also, get three swords or sabers for our self-defense.” Two people set the ship on fire then leaped to the shore.
