by Jin Yong
Four warriors immediately responded; they walked toward Zhao Min.
"Father,” Zhao Min cried, "Do you really want your daughter to die?” She pressed the dagger in her hand about half an inch [orig. ‘cun’ - thumb, approximately equal to an inch] into her stomach; immediately blood seeped out and dyed her clothes red.
The Ruyang Prince was shocked. "Minmin,” he said, "Please don’t make a scene here.”
Zhao Min cried even louder. "Father, your daughter is unfilial. I have secretly become man and wife with Zhang Gongzi. Please just consider you have never had any daughter. Let your daughter go. Otherwise, I’d rather die in your presence.”
The Ruyang Prince kept pulling his beard with his left hand; cold sweats started to form on his forehead. He had held command over generals and soldiers, he had battled and crushed enemies; he was used to make decision in split second. But today, confronted by his own beloved daughter’s embarrassing affair, his hands were bound and he was unable to do anything.
"Meizi,” Wang Baobao said, "Both you and Zhang Gongzi are injured. Let us all come home with Father. We will invite renowned doctors to treat you. Afterwards, we will have Father to preside over your wedding. Father will have an ideal son-in-law, and I will have a hero as my brother-in-law. Won’t that be good?”
His words were pleasant to be heard, but Zhao Min had been aware early on that he was trying to buy time. If Zhang Wuji fell into their hands, how could he keep his life? He would be executed in less than an hour. Thereupon Zhao Min said, "Father, things have come to this, your daughter marries a chicken, she will follow the chicken; she marries a dog, she will follow the dog. In life or in death, I will follow Zhang Gongzi. Whatever trick you and Gege are playing, you can’t hide it from me. I will not fall on it. Right now there are only two choices: if you are willing to spare your daughter’s life, let me go. If you want your daughter’s death, you won’t have to waste any effort.”
"Minmin,” the Ruyang Prince was angry, "You may want to think it over. Once you follow this rebel thief, you can’t be my daughter anymore.”
Zhao Min felt as if her intestines were tied in hundreds knots. She did not want to part with her father and her big brother, remembering that they loved her dearly and had always pampered her. She felt as if her heart was sliced by a knife; but she knew that if she hesitated even so slightly,
Zhang Wuji’s life will be gone immediately. Right now, the most important thing was saving her lover’s life; she would seek her father and her brother’s forgiveness later.
"Father, Gege,” she said, "All this is Minmin’s fault. You ... please forgive me.”
Seeing he would not be able to change her daughter’s mind, the Ruyang Prince regretted that he had spoiled her too much. He let her roam the Jianghu unrestrained to such an extent as to cause this kind of trouble. He knew she was strong-willed ever since her childhood, if he forced her, she would certainly commit suicide by stabbing herself. All he could do was heave a long sigh, with tears pouring down from his eyes. "Minmin,” his voice was hoarse, "Take a good care of yourself. Father is leaving . you . you have to be careful in everything.”
Zhao Min only nodded, she did not dare to look at her father anymore. The Ruyang Prince turned around and slowly walked down the mountain. His personal attendant followed him behind, leading his horse, but he seemed oblivious; he did not even remember to mount the horse.
After walking for a dozen of ‘zhang’s, he suddenly turned his head around and said, "Minmin, is your injury all right? Do you have enough money?”
Swallowing her tears, Zhao Min nodded.
To his personal attendant the Ruyang Prince said, "Give my two horses to Junzhu.” The personal attendant warrior complied and led the horses to Zhao Min, and then he followed the Ruyang Prince and walked down the mountain.
The six foreign monks were still lying on the ground; they were incapable of standing up. The rest of the foreign monks, with two monks helping one, carried them follow behind. A short while later everybody had left, leaving only Zhang Wuji and Zhao Min two people.
End of Chapter 34.
Chapter 35 - Casualties of the Lion-slaying Assembly (Translated by Foxs, Edited by Eliza Bennet)
The fat Taoist slashed his sword toward Zhang Wuji's throat. His move was very swift and fierce. “Ah!" Zhang Wuji cried out in fear, and jumped out of bed, as if he was delivering his neck toward the blade of the sword.
Lu Zhangke’s sneak attack came when Zhang Wuji was resisting the combined power of eighteen foreign monks. The internal energy protecting his body, which formed a barrier on his back, was removed. As a result, the Xuanming cold poison entered his body without resistance and hence his injury was really heavy. He sat cross-legged and circulated the Jiu Yang energy three times around his system. After vomiting two mouthfuls of blood, he felt the constriction in the pit of his stomach loosened somewhat. As he opened his eyes, he saw Zhao Min was looking at him with anxious expression on her face.
"Miss Zhao,” Zhang Wuji said in tender voice, "You are suffering greatly.”
"Are you still calling me ‘Miss Zhao’ after all this?” Zhao Min asked, "I am no longer a royalty, I am not a ‘Junzhu’ anymore. You ... are you still regarding me as a little witch in your heart?”
Zhang Wuji slowly stood up. "Let me ask you one question, please answer me truthfully” he said, "Did you or did you not cut the sword wounds on my cousin Yin Li’s face?”
"I did not!” Zhao Min answered.
"Then whose malicious hand did it?” Zhang Wuji asked.
"I cannot tell you,” Zhao Min said, "If you can find Xie Daxia, he can tell you all the details.”
"My Yifu knows all the details?” Zhang Wuji wondered.
"Your internal injury has not been healed yet, asking too much question is harmful to your peace of mind,” Zhao Min said, "Let me tell you one thing: if after your careful investigation you can prove that it was I who harmed Miss Yin, you don’t need to make any move. I will kill myself in your presence to make amends.”
Listening to her speaking with confidence, Zhang Wuji had no choice but to believe her. He was silent for half a day before saying, "Looks like there was a martial art master hiding in the Persian Ming Cult ship. Using some kind of demonic method, he sneaked out in the middle of the night and drugged us all, harmed my cousin, and stole the Yitian Sword and the Tulong Saber. After rescuing Yifu, we need to go to Persia and inquire with Xiao Zhao.”
Zhao Min pursed her lips and laughed. "You just want to see Xiao Zhao,” she said, "Hence you fabricate some story to give you the reason to do so. Listen to me: don’t indulge in fantasy, the sooner your injury is healed, the sooner we can go to the Shaolin Temple to pay them a visit.”
"Shaolin Temple?” Zhang Wuji was surprised, "What do we do there?”
"Saving Xie Daxia, of course,” Zhao Min replied.
"Is my Yifu in the Shaolin Temple?” Zhang Wuji was even more surprised, "How can he be in Shaolin Temple?”
"It’s a complicated story, and I don’t claim to know all the details,” Zhao Min said, "But I am quite certain Xie Daxia is in the Shaolin Temple. Did I tell you one of my warriors became a monk in the Shaolin Temple? He sacrificed his life to bring me news.”
"Why did he sacrifice his life?” Zhang Wuji asked.
Zhao Min said, "In order to bring me proof, my informant tried to cut a bunch of Xie Daxia’s yellow
hair. But the Shaolin Temple guarded Xie Daxia very strictly. After cutting Xie Daxia’s hair, my informant went out the temple, but in the end he was spotted and had to receive two palm strikes. He struggled to deliver the hair into my hand, and died not too long afterwards.”
"Hey! How fierce!” Zhang Wuji exclaimed. It was not clear however, whether his ‘how fierce’ exclamation was praising Zhao Min’s operation, or was referring to the danger of the situation.
Because his mind was upset, his internal condition was affected that he vomited another mouthful of blood. Zhao Min anxio
usly said, "If I knew the severity of your injury, I would have not continually vexed you like this. I am not going to talk to you anymore.”
Zhang Wuji sat down with his back on a large mountain rock. He tried hard to focus his attention and calm his mind, but there was simply too much in his mind that he was unable to do so.
"Shaolin Shen Seng [divine monk] Kong Jian was killed by my Yifu’s ‘qi shang quan’ [seven-injury fist],” he said, "The Shaolin monks and disciples, from top to bottom, have been waiting for more than twenty years to seek vengeance. Furthermore, that Cheng Kun has become a monk in the Shaolin Temple. Since my Yifu has fallen into their hands, how can he keep his life?”
"Don’t worry,” Zhao Min said, "There is something that will keep Xie Daxia alive.”
"What thing?” Zhang Wuji hastily asked.
"The precious Tulong saber,” Zhao Min replied.
Zhang Wuji’s mind was stirred, and he understood. The Tulong Saber was known as the ‘most revered in the Wulin world’. The Shaolin Pai had been leading the martial art world for the last several hundred years, of course they would want to get their hands on this valuable saber. For the sake of this saber, they would not easily harm Xie Xun’s life, but disgrace and humiliation would be difficult to avoid.
Zhao Min continued, "I am thinking that the matter of rescuing Xie Daxia should be handled quietly by just the two of us. The Ming Cult is full of heroes, but if we carried out a large scale attack against Shaolin, the damage to both sides will be heavy. Supposing the Shaolin Pai is not able to defend against the Ming Cult’s attack, they might not want to keep Xie Daxia, maybe they would resort to deceit and begin to harm him.”
Listening to her thorough consideration, Zhang Wuji was very appreciative. "Min Mei [younger sister], you are right.”
It was the first time Zhang Wuji had ever called her ‘Min Mei’. Zhao Min felt unspeakable sweetness in her heart; but immediately her parents’ kindness and her brother’s love came into her mind, which, from this time on, were no longer hers. She could not stop the sweetness turn to bitter.
Zhang Wuji understood her feelings, but he felt inadequate to offer any consolation. He merely mused, "She had entrusted herself fully to me, how can I ever repay her affectionate kindness? Zhiruo is engaged to me, how can I let her down? Ay! Right now, the most important thing is trying to save Yifu; this kind of man-woman love relationship has to be set aside.” He exerted his strength to stand up. "Let us go!” he said.
Zhao Min saw that his complexion was ash-grey, she knew his injury was really not light. Slightly knitting her beautiful brows, she thought aloud, "My Father loves me very much; he won’t give us any trouble. I am only afraid Gege will not let us go. As soon as he can have an excuse to leave
Father, he would definitely send people to take us back within these next four hours [orig, two ‘shichen’s - 1 ‘shichen’ is 2 hours].”
Zhang Wuji nodded. He had noticed how firm Wang Baobao handled his affairs; he was truly not an easy person to deal with, he certainly would not give up easily. Presently, both he and Zhao Min were injured; it looked like their journey west to Shaolin would be very slow and full of obstacles. Other than that, they did not have any plan.
"We must leave this dangerous place immediately,” Zhao Min said, "We can stop again when we get to the foot of the mountain.”
Zhang Wuji nodded and he walked toward the horses with faltering steps. But when he was going to mount the horse, he felt a severe pain in the pit of his stomach, and did not have enough strength to climb up. Zhao Min bit her lips and exerted her strength on her right arm to give him a boost. But as she was doing that, the knife stab wound on her abdomen opened up and quite a lot blood seeped out. She also struggled to climb up the horse and sat behind Zhang Wuji. At first it was Zhang Wuji who supported her, now she had to wrap up her arms around his to support him up. Both of them had to stop for half a day to catch their breaths before they finally let the horse went forward. The other horse followed behind them.
Two people sharing a ride went down the mountain. They traveled along the main road, turning slightly to the east to avoid meeting Wang Baobao. After walking for a while, they turned toward a small pathway. They were feeling slightly relieved, since they thought that even if Wang Baobao dispatched some people to pursue, they would not easily find this small and remote pathway. They will have more chance of escaping when the sky turned dark and they entered deeper into the mountain.
While riding leisurely, suddenly they heard hoof beats from behind; a pair of riders galloped near. Zhao Min’s countenance sank; she tightened her hold on Zhang Wuji’s waist while saying, "My Gege comes very quick. It’s just our cruel fate, in the end we can’t escape from his cruel hands. Wuji Gege, let me go home with him. I am going to ask Father earnestly that we will see each other again later. As eternal and unchanging as the universe, let us not fail each other.”
With a bitter smile Zhang Wuji said, "Your honorable brother might not necessarily be willing to let me go.”
Just as he was saying that, the riders had come within several dozens ‘zhang’s behind them. Zhao Min held the rein to let the riders pass. She pulled her dagger out, thinking that if they had a chance, they would escape, but if her brother had made up his mind to kill Zhang Wuji, then the two of them would die together. However, when the two riders came near, they did not even slow down. They were wearing Mongolian soldiers’ uniform. They galloped passed them, giving them only a quick glance, and continued forward.
Zhao Min had just mused, "Thank Heaven and thank the Earth. Turned out they are only two low-ranking soldiers, not our pursuers.” When she saw those two Yuan soldiers held their reins to slow down their horses, talked to each other, and suddenly turned their horses around and returned toward the two of them.
One of them, a full-bearded Yuan soldier, shouted, "Audacious barbarians! Where did you steal these two good horses from?”
As she heard the tone of his voice, Zhao Min understood that they coveted the pair of steeds given by her father. The horses of the Ruyang Prince were naturally divine steeds, with golden stirrups and silver reins, extraordinarily magnificent and expensive ornaments. The Mongolians loved horses like they loved life itself, so when they saw a pair of excellent horses, how could their hearts be not moved?
Zhao Min thought, "Although these two horses were given by Father, but if these two wicked thieves want to seize them by force, we’d better let them go.” She spoke in Mongolian, "Which General’s subordinates are you? Why do you dare to be so impolite to me?”
That Mongolian soldier was startled. "Who are you, Miss?” he asked. He saw that these two were wearing expensive looking clothes, the horses they were riding were no small matters either; and now she was speaking fluent Mongolian. He did not dare to be careless.
"I am General Waerl Puche’s daughter,” Zhao Min said, "This is my brother. We met some robbers along the way and are injured.”
The two Mongolian soldiers exchanged a glance, suddenly they laughed loudly. The bearded soldier said in loud voice, "One can’t escape, two will not live. We might as well kill these two babies.” Unsheathing his saber, he charged forward.
Zhao Min was alarmed. "What are you doing?” she asked, "I’ll tell the General and have the two of you pulled by four horses.” Execution by pulling by four horses was Mongolian army’s capital punishment, in which the lawbreaker’s limbs were tied to four horses. As the signal was given, a long whip cracked, the four horses would run to different directions at once, tearing the convict into four parts. It was the cruelest punishment.
The full-bearded Mongolian soldier laughed menacingly. "Waerl Puche was unable to defeat the Ming Cult army,” he said, "He randomly executed his subordinates, venting his anger to us, his soldiers. Yesterday the army revolted and chopped your father to be meat sauce. Nothing can be better than to bump into you, two puppies, in here.” While saying that, he raised his saber, ready to chop down.
Zhao Min jerked th
e rein, her horse leaped forward to evade. The soldier pursued to kill. The other Yuan soldier called out, "Don’t kill this young girl who is pretty-as-a-flower. We can have fun with her first.”
"Wonderful! Wonderful!” the bearded soldier replied.
Zhao Mi had an idea so she jumped down the horse and ran to the side. The two Mongolian soldiers immediately dismounted their horses to chase her.
"Aiyo!” Zhao Min screamed, while falling down to the ground. The bearded solder pounced on her, reaching out to grab her back. Zhao Min’s elbow struck backward and hit the vital acupoint on his chest. The bearded soldier grunted and fell on the spot. The other Yuan soldier did not see clearly what had happened to him, he continued his pounce toward her. Zhao Min repeated her trick earlier and struck his acupoint too.
Normally, she would be able to do these two strikes effortlessly, but this time she had to exert her entire strength that her head was soaked in cold sweat, and she felt as if all her strength was drained out. Propping herself against the ground, she stood up, and then helped Zhang Wuji dismount the horse. With the dagger in her hand she shouted, "Dog thieves! You have defied your superior. Do you want to live or not?”
Because their acupoints were sealed, the two Yuan soldiers felt their upper bodies were numb;
they were unable to move their hands. Their lower parts still had feeling, but they were unbearably sore and ache all over. They expected Zhao Min to kill them, so they were surprised when they heard that she seemingly wanted to give them an opportunity to live. "Miss, have mercy!” they hastily said, "Xiao Ren really were not the ones who harmed General Waerl Puche.”
