Girl with Flying Weapons

by Aya Ling

  TWENTY FIVE

  It was indeed the young man who had set up stall in the market, who had written Shu-Mo's love letters. He was dressed completely in black, his hair bound up in a black cloth as well, but his features were easily recognisable. Now it was clear. He was Mrs. Guo's ex-lover. The pieces were falling into place. Hong suddenly realised why he had managed to sabotage the boats earlier and appear on the outing. They had been near his stall, talking about going to the Cold Food Festival with Mrs. Guo. He had heard them, probably after his unsuccessful attempt to infiltrate the Guo residence, and decided to waylay Mrs. Guo at the park instead. The magistrate's daughter rarely left her quarters—hence it was an excellent opportunity.

  "Who are you?" he growled. "How dare you impersonate my Wen-Jun?"

  Hong used that precious moment of his amazement to her advantage. A flourish of her sleeve, and a rain of needles shot out, aiming for every vital point of his body.

  Pai's eyes widened, but he reacted fast enough. Both of his palms hit out; the air seemed to swirl and converge into a wall. The needles met with invisible resistance and fell down on the floor.

  So this was the power of the Water Fist. Remarkable. Quite the antithesis of her flying weapons. One blow—he didn't even have to make contact with skin—and she couldn't even hurt him. For the first time in her life, Hong felt useless. How was she going to defeat him when her flying weapons weren't working?

  "Where—is—she?" Calligrapher Pai said, his expression no longer the friendly, harmless young man in the market.

  Hong kept her expression blank. "You also killed her servant Opal and the fighter Yao, did you not? Why didn't you just seek the magistrate's daughter out? What did her servants do to you?"

  Pai narrowed his eyes. "It was their fault. If they hadn't stood in the way of my pursuing Wen-Jun, she would have consented to elope with me! That money-loving maid made me bribe her for meetings—those poetry scrolls were my family heirlooms! When I sought her, she told me she had already pawned them off to pay for her father's debts! And that nasty guard beat the hell out of me when I requested one last visit to say goodbye. I was mad, but I was helpless at that time. Now I can exact revenge." He stared at his hand with a maniac glint. "How sweet it is! They treated me like horse manure, they deserved to die."

  "But how did you kill them? Yao was known to be invincible." Hong hoped to extract the information of the Lost Manual from him.

  "Invincible my foot," Pai sneered. "With the secret powers I have, nothing can stop me. Not even you."

  With that last remark, he lashed out at her. All he did was raise both his hands and push his palms out, and Hong could feel his force emanating in waves, so strong and suffocating that she was certain to die instantly if she was close enough.

  Hong sailed to a corner of the room; the power of the Water Fist hit the screen stand behind her, burning through the thick white paper and destroying the beautiful landscapes painted on it. A second later, the screen collapsed in a heap of bamboo and paper.

  There was nowhere to hide now.

  Hong readied her poisonous darts again, eight of them wedged in the eight spaces between her fingers, and sent them flying towards Pai.

  The former scholar hit out. This time the force was so strong that the darts were sent flying in various directions, one heading for her throat. Hong drew out the dagger in her boot and ping! The dart clanged against the dagger's sheath and fell on the floor. The next second, Hong also dropped the dagger with a small cry of pain. The force that rebounded from her own dart was so strong that it penetrated the dagger and hit her wrist.

  "Tell me where you hid her," Pai growled, advancing on her. "Or I'll kill you. Your baubles are useless against me."

  She didn't doubt it. Her head was hurting from the turbulence. Her darts were all used up. Not to mention that any weapon she aimed at him would simply be swept up by his force, or even worse, be forced to change direction.

  Hong scrambled backwards until her back met the wall. A trickle of perspiration ran down her forehead. If she didn't act fast—she'd end up the same way as Yao did.

  Yet, as she observed the way he moved, there might be something she could use to her advantage. He was strong, no doubt, stronger than ten men combined, but he was not a trained fighter. He had no idea how to duck or dodge, or how to calculate his opponent's strengths and weaknesses. His hands might unleash powers she could never withstand, but what about other parts of his body?

  She had to find a way to harm him without being hit.

  He was closer now, his arm raised to deliver a final fatal blow…

  Hong rolled over the ground, snatched up one of the hollowed pens lying on the ground, and shot at Pai's ankle.

  Pai let out a grunt of pain; the bloody needle point jutted out of his flesh. Knowing that it might take some time for the poison to take effect, she scooped her fallen dagger and threw it at him.

  "Aaaaah!" Pai cried. The dagger was stuck in his arm; blood dripped on the ground, splattering the beautifully polished floor. Since he relied on the force delivered by his hands, half of his power was already gone.

  Now it was her chance. Hong sprang up, darted forward, and with a fluid motion, disjointed his other wrist. With one hand bleeding and the other injured, Pai was no longer a threat.

  Hong took off her largest hairpin; it was made of iron and the end was sharp enough to cause major damage. She held the hairpin against his throat. One jab and he could bleed to death.

  "Where did you learn this power?"

  Silence.

  Hong let the pin graze his flesh. A tiny trickle of blood ran down his throat.

  Pai gave a twisted grin. "I… if she does not come with me, I'd rather die."

  "Don't be absurd. She is married and with child."

  "She is mine."

  Shouts came from outside. Whatever method Pai had used to enter the Guo household, the guards seemed to be finally discovering it now.

  "Listen," Hong said quickly. "I might be able to save your life if you tell me how you gained possession of the Lost Manual. Otherwise, you will certainly forfeit your life."

  Pai seemed not to hear her. He stood transfixed; the wounds on his body were enough to make one scream and writhe, but he concentrated only on a figure at the door.

  Mrs. Guo, accompanied by Flying Swallow, was looking down at them with absolute horror.

  "My… Wen… Jun…" Pai croaked, reaching a broken arm to her. Suddenly, he seemed to regain his power. A strong force radiated from his body, throwing Hong off course.

  He advanced towards Mrs. Guo as swiftly as his needle-pierced ankle would allow.

  Mrs. Guo screamed. Indeed, he was no longer the refined, well-dressed scholar whom a young girl might admire. His eyes were glowing like a wild beast, and blood was streaming profusely from his left arm, leaving a bloody trail behind him.

  The next second, Pai stopped. As swift as a fleeing deer, Flying Swallow darted in front of Mrs. Guo and drove a sword into his chest. Meanwhile, Hong had grabbed another hollow pen and sent a long needle into the back of his neck.

  And so the murderer of Yao and Opal, the besotted lover of the magistrate's daughter, the once-brilliant scholar who was predicted a promising future, crashed on the floor. He twitched a bit, and then moved no more.

  TWENTY SIX

  Although Pai had been revealed to be the murderer, Hong's troubles were far from being over. She still had to ensure Fang and Meng-Ting would be safely released, so right after Pai drew his last breath, she made a deal with Mrs. Guo.

  "Since I have saved your life from this monster, you would do well to repay me by telling your father to release my young master and my friend at once. Pai admitted that he killed Yao and Opal. Now that the real murderer is found, the innocent should not be kept behind bars any longer."

  Mrs. Guo, who was barely recovering from her shock, could only nod.

  Then there was the issue of the Lost Manual. After making sure that Calligrapher Pai
did not carry anything resembling a scroll or just anything with words written on it, Hong had to again call for the help of Old Man Liu's network of beggar spies. She couldn't be combing the city all day long. Besides, she was feeling rather worn out from the battle with Pai. Although she was not seriously injured, the turbulent wave-like power he released had made her nauseous and occasionally she found it hard to breathe. When Meng-Ting was released, she would ask him for a diagnosis.

  Two days after Pai's death, Hong rose a bit later than usual. Partly because she was not fully recovered from Pai's impact, partly because Governor Shue had not yet returned from the capital, so her morning chores would not take a long time.

  Hong sat down on the small bamboo stool in front of her mirror. Her long black hair cascaded down her back, framing her pale face. Although she was capable of doing complicated makeup, this was what she usually preferred. No ornaments, no styling… it made her feel light and relaxed and carefree. Too bad that her life rarely afforded her such moments.

  A knock on the door, and Golden Lotus entered.

  "Did you hear the news?" Golden Lotus perched herself on a chair. "Young Master Fang has been cleared! They say the real murderer has been caught! You wouldn't believe it!"

  Hong did her best to appear surprised. "Who did it?"

  "Well, be prepared to hear this: it's that calligrapher Shu-Mo was paying to write his love letters! Pai is his name, and he used to live near the magistrate's old compound. It seemed that he tried to steal something valuable from the magistrate's, and Yao, who was working as the magistrate's bodyguard, caught him and gave him such a sound beating that Pai almost died."

  No mention of Mrs. Guo. Hong wasn't sure how much the Guos knew of the magistrate's daughter's past with Calligrapher Pai, especially since he had been found dead in her quarters, but it seemed they were anxious to preserve Mrs. Guo's reputation. If it was known that Pai had been found dead at Mrs. Guo's quarters, plus the fact he was her ex-lover, it would look as though she had been carrying on an affair when she was already pregnant with her first child! No husband could tolerate such an insult, and no family could bear such a stain on their reputation. Particularly a large, well-to-do family like the Guos.

  "How terrible."

  "Ain't it so? Well, Pai got away for a while, recovered, and he returned to avenge himself. Little Jade said that he learnt some creepy black magic, which is how he managed to kill Yao. He also did a lot of stealing in the city, including Merchant Guo's residence. But Merchant Guo went out and hired several new bodyguards—one of them could perform spells to counter Yao's black magic. So when Yao tried to steal a second time, he met his end."

  Hong felt like choking with laughter. So Mrs. Guo had used parts of her story about black magic. If only Golden Lotus knew the truth.

  "So this means Young Master is free! I'm so glad, because I heard he was injured in prison."

  "Injured?" Hong was alarmed. "Is it serious?"

  "Shu-Mo said it wasn't anything to worry about; Young Master is as strong as a bull. But it might be much worse, if he continues to stay in that horrid place. Anyway, Shu-Mo said that Master Gwang and Master Ping have gone to the prison and made sure things were all right."

  "When is Master Fang returning?" Hong said. "And I assume Mr. Liu would be released as well?"

  "Oh, it should be any day soon, they just need to get the paperwork done. Say, this merits a celebration! Let's get up a huge feast for Master Fang!"

  "Why, of course," Hong said. "I'll go and buy the ingredients. I'll also need to pop in to sifu's to let him know his grandson would be all right, so I will be late."

  She did not mention that she also had to question the beggar spies to see if they had uncovered anything new about Calligrapher Pai. She would have loved to visit Fang, but since he was no longer in danger and that his siblings were taking care of him, she would wait until he returned. Old Man Liu would want her to focus on searching for more clues on the Lost Manual.

  It was just luck that Fang came home when Hong was absent. There was a tearful reunion when Lynn ran and threw herself in his arms, not caring if he smelled terrible. She only broke away when he let out a grunt of pain. The wounds that Ho Jiang-Min inflicted on him were still raw and painful. Gwang and Ping, who had finally resorted to pooling together a bribe for the magistrate, were relieved. They asked for the reasons for his release, which Fang was not quite sure of either, but apparently the real killer had been caught.

  The next morning, Fang sat with his brothers in the main reception hall.

  "Thank goodness your name is cleared," Gwang said. "I just knew that you couldn't have killed him."

  Fang grinned, touched at his brother's words.

  However, his brother continued, "Because there's no way you can overpower a prized fighter. You're not up to that level yet."

  "Next time, if you want to help out your friend, you had better consult us first," Ping said. "Going to visit the fighter on your own! You'd better have more common sense."

  "I know," Fang said, stung by his brother's condescending tone. "It was too rash of me, all right?"

  "Though isn't it also strange that the killer was a mere scholar?"

  "I only heard that the scholar had used some form of black magic," Ping said. "Do you think it was only an excuse? Perhaps the magistrate found him a better culprit than Fang."

  Gwang frowned. "Sounds spooky. But the scholar's already dead, so we'd never know."

  "I think it's because Ho Jiang-Min was carrying things too far." Ping looked thoughtful. "Even if it is legal to torture criminals into confession, the physician said that if your wounds weren't properly treated, the germs in the prison cell could enter your wounds and into your bloodstream. You could be seriously ill, or even be dead."

  Gwang pound a fist on the table. "That scumbag! I'll give him a sound beating the next time I see him!"

  "Don't," Fang said quickly. "Don't harm him unless necessary. Remember his status; he could make your life truly miserable if you're on his bad side."

  "Anyway, what's important is that you're safely back." Ping poured a cupful of wine. "Here, it's Rose Daughter from Luo's Winehouse. Chow got a full jar once he learnt you're set free."

  Fang sat back and drank the wine. He had seen Chow earlier and told him the truth. Chow had seemed resigned by now; though he was still in low spirits, he did not appear as dejected as before. Fang decided to find an occasion and invite him for a hunting excursion or a game of horse polo.

  "Masters!" The steward ran inside. "Please follow me immediately! There is a royal messenger from the emperor!"

  "A royal messenger? But Father isn't even back yet!"

  "Come, let us go to the courtyard," Gwang said. "We shouldn't keep the royal messenger waiting."

  In the courtyard, a middle-aged man dressed in dark purple robes was waiting for them. A small procession of servants and eunuchs stood behind him.

  "For the Shue Family."

  The three brothers bowed deeply. "We humbly await the emperor's command. May the emperor live in eternal peace and prosperity."

  The messenger unfurled a handsome golden-edged scroll and read out: "The Illustrious Emperor His Excellency has arranged a marriage decision. To promote peace and strengthen ties within districts, His Excellency decrees that the eldest daughter of Governor Shue shall wed the eldest son of Governor Ling-Hu. The marriage shall take place on an auspicious date in October."

  The three brothers bowed again. "We thank His Excellency for his benevolent and wise decisions."

  The messenger looked at them. "Which of you is the eldest?"

  Gwang stepped forward. "I am."

  The messenger placed the golden scroll in both of his hands.

  "Will Your Honour join us for a cool drink?" Gwang said solicitously.

  "A tempting offer, but I must be going," the messenger said, wiping sweat from his brow. "It is a long journey back to the palace."

  When the messenger was gone, the three brother
s stared at each other, speechless for a second.

  "Well," Gwang said. "This is a surprise. Remember what Father said before he left for court?"

  "I don't think this is a particularly well-made decision," Ping said. "Marriage alliances won't be sufficient to end strife and conflict between states."

  Fang glared at the golden scroll, as though he wished he could rip it in shreds. "I have to tell Lynn."

  He found his sister happily seated on a swing in the back yard. Her laughter rang out over the rocks and bamboo grove—blithe, carefree, full of joy. What would she say when she learnt the news?

  "Master Fang!" Golden Lotus and Silver Peony spotted him and grinned. Golden Lotus was pushing Lynn, making her go higher on the swing, while Silver Peony was watering the peonies in the garden.

  "Is there anything you wanted?" Silver Peony asked, running over to him. She still held a bamboo scoop in one hand, and a bamboo pail of water in the other.

  "No, I'm all right." Fang focused his gaze on his sister. "Lynn, can you come down for a while? I have news for you." He glanced at the other two maids for a second, and raised his eyebrows.

  Lynn understood. "Golden Lotus, Silver Peony, run along and see if the kitchen or laundry room needs any help. My dear brother is probably going to lecture me on frivolity again."

  Once the maids were gone, Fang sat down on a smooth rock across from the swing.

  "So what has been ailing my dear brother?" Lynn grinned at him. "Lady trouble? Listen, if you're still devising a method to make Hong notice you…"

  "That's not why I came to talk to you," Fang said, though he had to return a wry grin. Things certainly weren't progressing between him and Hong either, but right now the emperor's decree was more important. "Lynn, the emperor's messenger was just here a while ago."

  "Really?" Lynn tilted her head. "What can it be? Is the emperor ordering any of our brothers to be stationed at a distant post, like in the North? Or did he promote Father to a position at court? Urgh, I don't think I'd want to move inland, it's going to be so much colder in the winter."