by Jin Yong
Zhang Wuji coldly said, "I do not dare to eat and drink together with you. Who knows when you are going to apply the ‘shi xiang ruan jin san’.”
Zhao Min’s face sank as she heard that, "You don’t want to eat, then don’t eat,” she said, "Otherwise you will be killed by my poison.” Without waiting for an answer, she started to eat.
Zhang Wuji called for the kitchen to deliver some flatbread, and then staying as far as possible from her, he sat on the ‘kang’ to gobble his food.
There was a very sumptuous dish of broiled lamb and roasted chicken, fried beef and chopped fish, on Zhao Min’s table. She ate for a while before tears starting to drip on her rice bowl. She managed to control herself and ate some more before she finally put the chopsticks down and she dropped her head on the table, sobbing.
After crying for half a day, she wiped off her tears, apparently she felt better. Looking out the window, she said to herself, "It will be dark in a couple of hours. I wonder how that Han Lin’er is. Once we lost his track, it would not be easy to rescue him.”
Zhang Wuji’s heart turned cold. "That’s right,” he said while standing up, "I need to rescue Han Xiongdi first, and then I’ll come back.”
"Shameless,” Zhao Min said, "Nobody speaks to you, who wants you to interfere?”
Seeing her angry at one time and bashful at another, happy at one time and anxious at another, Zhang Wuji could not help to feel both hatred and affection toward her at the same time; truly he did not know how to deal with her. Hastily he finished the half flatbread in his hand in three mouthfuls, and then went out the door.
"I’ll go with you,” Zhao Min said.
"I don’t want to take you,” Zhang Wuji replied.
"Why?” Zhao Min asked.
"You are the murderer of my Biaomei,” Zhang Wuji replied, "How can I be together with an enemy?”
"All right,” Zhao Min said, "Go alone, then!”
Zhang Wuji went out the door, but suddenly he turned around and asked, "What are you doing here?”
"I am going to wait for your Yifu to come back,” Zhao Min said, "I’ll tell him that you are going out to rescue Han Lin’er.”
"My Yifu hates evil people as if they are his personal enemy,” Zhang Wuji said, "How can he spare your life?”
Zhao Min heaved a deep sigh. "Then that is my cruel fate,” she said, "What can I do?”
Zhang Wuji hesitated for a moment before saying, "You’d better avoid him for now, we’ll talk when I come back.”
Zhao Min shook her head, "I don’t have any good hiding place.”
"Very well!” Zhang Wuji said, "We’ll go save Han Lin’er together, and come back here to face him together.”
Zhao Min laughed and said, "This time it is you who wants me to accompany you; definitely it is not me who clings for dear life to you and insists on going out with you.”
"You are my black star,” Zhang Wuji said, "Just consider it my bad luck to bump into you.”
Zhao Min gave him one of her captivating smiles, "Wait here for a moment,” she said, as she slipped out the door.
Quite some time later, Zhao Min opened the door, now wearing woman’s clothing, with mink fur coat and scarlet embroidered garment inside; she looked extremely stunning. Zhang Wuji did not expect she would bring such exquisite and expensive clothing inside her bundle; he thought, "This woman is very shrewd, her actions are beyond anybody’s expectations.”
"Why are you looking at me like that?” Zhao Min asked, "Do these clothes look nice?”
"Face like a peach blossom, heart like a viper,” Zhang Wuji said.
Zhao Min burst out in laughter and said, "Many thanks for Zhang Da Jiaozhu’s [great cult leader] highest compliment. Zhang Jiaozhu, why don’t you change into some nice clothing?”
Zhang Wuji sounded hurt, "I have always been wearing tattered clothes since I was little. If you don’t like my ragged attire, you are free not to travel with me.”
"Don’t be overly sensitive,” Zhao Min said, "I only want to see how you look wearing some nice clothes. Wait here, I am going out to buy some clothes. Those beggars must have entered the great wall anyway, with our speed, I am not afraid we cannot overtake them.” Without waiting for his answer, she slipped out the door again.
Zhang Wuji sat on the ‘kang’, while secretly scolding himself for not able to stand firm and letting this girl play with him on her palms. "Obviously, she was my Biaomei’s murderer, yet I talked and laughed with her. Zhang Wuji, oh, Zhang Wuji, what kind of man are you? How can you have a face to be the Ming Cult Jiaozhu, in command over all those warriors?”
He waited for a long time and Zhao Min had not returned, the sky gradually turned dark. "Why do I have to wait for her?” he thought, "I’d better go alone to rescue Han Lin’er.” But as soon as he had that thought, he remembered something else. What if she returned, bringing all those clothing, and bump into Xie Xun? What if with one slap Xie Xun strikes the top of her head, bursting her skull open and scattering her brains, and she died a violent death? He saw it in his mind clothes and shoes scattered around the room. Thinking about this possibility, he broke into a cold sweat.
He sat down, and stood up, sat down, and stood back up, while letting his imagination run wild, until at last he heard dainty footsteps and delicate fragrance assaulting his nostrils as Zhao Min entered the room with two large packages on her hands.
"What took you so long?” Zhang Wuji said, "No need to change, let us go pursue the enemy!”
Zhao Min smiled and said, "You have waited this long, what harm does it have to wait a little bit longer just to change you clothes? I have also bought a pair of horses, so we can pursue all night long.” While saying that she untied the packages and produced clothes, shoes and socks. "This is such a small town,” she said, "There is nothing nice to buy. You’ll have to make do with it. Wait till we get back to Dadou [grand capital, modern day Beijing], we’ll buy mink fur coat and some nice clothing.”
Zhang Wuji’s heart turned cold, "Miss Zhao,” he grimly said, "If you think I am after riches and honor by submitting to the royal government, you’d better give up that idea now. I, Zhang Wuji, am a descendant of Han people, even if conferred the title of prince, there is no way that I would surrender to the Mongols.”
Zhao Min sighed and said, "Zhang Da Jiaozhu, look closely, is this Mongolian clothing, or Han clothing?” While saying that she lifted up a set of gray leather-lined garment. As he saw that she had bought Han people’s attire, Zhang Wuji nodded his head. Zhao Min turned around and said, "Look carefully, am I wearing a Mongolian Princess’ attire, or a common Han woman clothing?”
Zhang Wuji’s heart was thumping madly, previously he only noticed that her clothes was exquisite and expensive, he did not pay attention whether it was Mongolian or Han clothing. Now that she mentioned it, he realized that she was dressed up as a Han girl. He saw her cheeks were blushing, while her eyes were moist. Suddenly he understood her heart clearly. "You ... you ...” he stammered.
In a low voice Zhao Min said, "Now that I know you don’t want to lose me, I don’t care about anything else. I don’t care about Mongol or Han. You are a Han, I am also a Han. You are a Mongol, I am also a Mongol. In your mind you are always thinking about important matters such as army and country, the difference between Chinese and barbarians, and about their rise and fall, their influence and military prowess. Wuji Gege [big brother Wuji, term of endearment], in my heart I only have one thing: you. I don’t care whether you are a good man or a scoundrel [lit. bad egg], to me it doesn’t make any difference.” [Translator’s note: before I offend anybody, the dictionary gives the character ‘yi’ a definition of ‘non-Han people, especially to the east of China, or barbarians.’]
Zhang Wuji was touched listening to her expressing her infinitely tender feeling, he was dizzy with confusing thoughts and was dumbfounded for a long time before he finally able to speak, "Did you kill my Biaomei because you were afraid I was going to take her as my wife?”
Zhao Min said, nearly shouting, "I did not kill Miss Yin. You believe me, fine. You don’t believe me, fine. I am telling you the truth.”
Zhang Wuji sighed. "Miss Zhao,” he said, "You love me this much; I am not a piece of wood nor am I a stone, how can I not appreciate it? But why is it that to this very day you are lying to me still?”
Zhao Min said, "I used to think that being intelligent and shrewd, I would gain an upper hand on everything; who would have thought that the things of the world are difficult to predict? Wuji Gege, let us not go out today, you wait for Xie Daxia here, I wait for Miss Zhou in her room.”
"Why?” Zhang Wuji wondered.
"Don’t ask me why,” Zhao Min replied, "You don’t have to worry over Han Lin’er, I assure you that we will rescue him alive.” Finished speaking, she whisked out the door, walking toward Zhou Zhiruo’s room, and closed the door.
Zhang Wuji did not immediately understand what she was saying. He sat on the ‘kang’, pondered deeply. Suddenly he a thought came into his mind "Is it possible that she found out that Zhou
Zhiruo and I are engaged, and thus feeling that harming my Biaomei one person is not enough, is she thinking to harm Zhou Zhiruo as well? Could it be that after leaving the Mi Le Fo Temple, the Xuanming Elders came to this inn to deal with Yifu and Zhiruo?”
Once he remembered Xuanming Elders, he was panic-stricken. Lu Zhangke and He Biweng were very strong martial art-wise, even if Xie Xun’s eyes were not blind, he might not necessarily be able to fight them one against two. He leaped up and briskly walked toward Zhao Min’s door. "Miss Zhao,” he called out, "Where did your subordinates, the Xuanming Er Lao, go?”
From behind the door Zhao Min replied, "Most likely they thought I managed to escape and withdraw inside the Wall, so they pursue to the south.”
"Are you telling me the truth?” Zhang Wuji asked.
With a cold laugh Zhao Min said, "Why do you ask? Since you don’t believe what I say...”
Zhang Wuji was at a loss for words; he stared blankly at the door. Zhao Min said, "Supposing that I told you I sent the Xuanming Er Lao to this inn to kill Xie Daxia and your beloved Miss Zhou, would you believe me?”
Her last words had touched the most sensitive spot on Zhang Wuji’s mind; immediately his foot flew up to kick the door open. With the veins on his forehead bulging out and a trembling voice he shouted, "You . you .”
"Seeing him like that, Zhao Min was scared; she regretted having said such things. "I was just scaring you,” she hastily said, "There is no such thing. You must not take it seriously.”
Staring hard at her, Zhang Wuji slowly said, "You are not afraid of coming to this inn to see my Yifu. You kept saying that you want to confront them directly. Could it be that it was because you knew they are no longer alive?” While saying that, he moved two steps forward until he was less than three feet away from her. He raised his palm high, ready to strike her to her death.
Looking directly into his eyes, Zhao Min gravely said, "Zhang Wuji, let me tell you this: in the matters on this earth, you cannot rashly believe what other says unless you witness it with your own eyes. Furthermore, you cannot let your own imagination run wild. You want to kill me, fine, just do it. But what if your Yifu comes back? How would you feel then?”
Listening to her reprimand, Zhang Wuji was somewhat ashamed; he said, "As long as my Yifu is safe and sound, I’ll consider myself very fortunate. You must not joke about my Yifu’s safety and well-being.”
Zhao Min nodded. "I shouldn’t say those things, I only have myself to blame; you should not feel bad.”
Hearing her admitting her own mistake, Zhang Wuji’s heart softened. Smiling slightly he said, "I was too rude and rash, and thus offended you.” Finished speaking he returned to Xie Xun’s room.
He waited all night, but until dawn neither Xie Xun nor Zhou Zhiruo came back. Zhang Wuji was even more anxious. He took a quick breakfast then had a discussion with Zhao Min about where they would go next. Zhao Min creased her eyebrows and said, "This is really strange. I think we’d better try to overtake Shi Huolong and his company, and think of a way to eavesdrop.”
Zhang Wuji nodded. "Let’s do it.” Immediately they settled their room bills, and left a message with the innkeeper that if Xie Xun and Zhou Zhiruo return, they were to wait in that inn. The inn helper
led a pair of red steeds from the stable.
Zhang Wuji saw that the steeds’ hides were smooth and shiny, with long legs and strong bodies, the signs of top quality horses. He could not restrain from clucking his tongue in admiration, thinking that these horses must belong to the people under her command who were trailing the Beggar Clan to this place. She must have fetched them when she went out to buy some clothes the previous day. Zhao Min showed a faint smile as she mounted the horse.
Two riders galloped side by side heading south. To the onlookers, their horses looked like dragons, the two riders, a man and a woman, were wearing exquisite and expensive-looking clothes, their appearances smart and beautiful, they must be a young couple from a rich, high-ranking government official’s family who were out travelling.
That day they galloped for more than two hundred ‘li’s [1 li is approximately 0.5 km], and after spending the night en route, they continued their journey at daybreak the next morning. By midday, they felt the north wind was blowing stronger on their backs, with overcast clouds seemingly hanging over close to their heads. After twenty more ‘li’s, big, goose down-like snowflakes started to fall. Along the way, Zhang Wuji did say almost nothing to Zhao Min. Seeing that the snow was getting heavier, he still did not utter a single word from his place in the front. That day, they were actually riding through a remote mountainous path. By nightfall the snow had reached over a foot deep, although their mounts were divine steeds, they could not go further. Zhang Wuji realized the sky was getting darker and darker. He stood on the saddle and looked around, but did not see a single building; he was indecisive.
"Miss Zhao,” he said, "What do you think? I am afraid our horses won’t be able to take it anymore if we hurry along.”
With a cold laugh Zhao Min said, "You only know the horses won’t be able to take it anymore, but you don’t care whether the people will live or die.”
Zhang Wuji was regretful; he thought, "I have Jiu Yang Shen Gong [divine energy from the Nine Yang Manual] in my body, I don’t feel weary or cold. In my eagerness to save people, I am being inconsiderate towards her.”
Traveling a little bit more, he suddenly heard a cracking noise, a roebuck fled from their left, running toward the mountain. "I’ll catch it for our dinner,” Zhang Wuji said.
Leaping down from his saddle, he followed the roebuck trail on the snow, chasing it straight down the mountain. After circling a small hill, under the dim evening fog he saw that roebuck was running straight into a cave. Exerting his strength, he flew like an arrow toward the roebuck, and caught it by the back of its neck before it entered the cave. The roebuck turned its head around trying to bite Zhang Wuji’s wrist. Zhang Wuji exerted all his strength to his fingers and ‘crack’ he snapped the roebuck’s neck.
He noticed that although the cave was not too big, it could easily give shelter to two of them for the night. Carrying the roebuck, he returned to Zhao Min and said, "There is a cave over on that side, let us spend the night here. What do you think?”
Zhao Min nodded, but suddenly she blushed. Raising the reins, she steered the horse toward the cave.
Zhang Wuji led the horses towards the slope and tied them underneath two big pine trees, to protect them from the snow, and then he looked for some dried branches to build a fire on the cave
entrance. The cave was clean, with no trace of filthy animal excrement inside. Looking toward the inside, all he could see was impenetrable darkness. Thereupon he skinned the roebuck, washed it with snow, and roasted it on the fire.
Zhao Min took her mink fur coat and spread it on the ground. Under the blazing fire, the cave was as warm as sp
ringtime. Zhang Wuji happened to turn his head around. Under the flickering fire light, he saw her pretty face was even more stunning. They looked at each other and smiled; it was as if the hunger and cold of the day melted in that one smile.
When the roebuck was done, each of them ripped the hind leg and ate. Zhang Wuji heaped more firewood to the fire. Leaning against the wall of the cave he said, "Why don’t you sleep?” Zhao Min smiled sweetly. Leaning against the opposite wall, she closed her eyes. Zhang Wuji’s nose caught an intermittent whiff of fragrance coming from her body. He saw her cheeks were rosy, and he felt a strong urge to kiss her, but he held back the thought and closed his eyes to sleep.
They slept until midnight when suddenly they heard hoof beats from a distance. Zhang Wuji woke up with a start. Cocking his ears he could hear four horses coming from the south running to the north. The snow was still falling heavily outside the cave. He thought, "In the middle of the night, under a heavy snowfall, rushing along braving cold weather, they must have an extremely urgent matter to attend.”
The sound hoof beats suddenly stopped as they came near to their place. A moment later the hoof beats started again, surprisingly, the sound turned toward their cave. Zhang Wuji was alarmed, "This cave is remotely located on the back of the mountain, if I did not chase that roebuck, I would not have found this place. How can they find their way over here?” But immediately he realized, "That’s right, we left our tracks on the snow. The tracks must still be visible although it has been snowing heavily for half a night.”
By now Zhao Min was awake; in a low voice she said, "Perhaps some enemy are coming. Let us hide and see what kind of people they are.” As she was saying that, she grabbed some snow outside the cave and quenched out the fire with it.
By that time the sound of hoof beats ceased, but they heard four people walking on the snow toward the cave. In a short while they have came within a dozen ‘zhang’s away [1 zhang is approximately 10 ft or 3.3 meters] from the cave mouth.
In a low voice Zhang Wuji said, "These four people’s movement is very agile, they must be very high skilled martial art masters.” If they went out to cave to seek hiding place, they would definitely be detected by these four people. Without argument Zhao Min pulled his hand to enter further into the cave.
