A Bond Undone

by Jin Yong

  Lotus chuckled. “Shifu, you said it – not my pa.”

  “The martial father is never as close as a real father. I’d better find myself a beggar woman and get her to give us a beggar girl.”

  Lotus cheered and clapped. “I’d love a little martial sister. I’d cuddle her all day!”

  All the while, Gallant Ouyang’s eyes were fixed on Lotus. The sunlight gently brushed her cheeks, radiant as spring blossom, beautiful as a dawn sky. She gazed at Guo Jing so tenderly, so full of feeling, her affection so plain to see. One day, I will kill that wretched lad, he promised himself in a fit of jealousy.

  Count Seven Hong held his hand out to help Zhou Botong to his feet. “I’ll travel on the new boat with you. We know the Heretic is full of schemes, but we won’t let him trick us.”

  Zhou Botong was overjoyed. “Old Beggar, you’re so kind,” he said. “We should be brothers.”

  “Brother, wouldn’t it be odd to swear brotherhood with my shifu?” Guo Jing asked, before Count Seven Hong could reply.

  “Who cares?” Zhou Botong laughed. “Your father-in-law is letting me sail in the new boat. I’m happy and I want us to be brothers.”

  Lotus giggled. “What about me?”

  “I don’t believe anything a lass says. One look at a beautiful woman is guaranteed to bring bad luck.” Zhou Botong glared at her, then linked arms with Count Seven. Together, they marched towards the boat.

  Apothecary Huang threw his arms wide to block their path. “I am not deceiving you. No journey in that boat will end well. There is no need for either of you to put yourself in such danger. And yet, forgive me – I would prefer not to say any more on the matter.”

  “You have made yourself very clear. I will praise your friendship, even as I die from seasickness.”

  Despite his jovial tone, Count Seven knew Apothecary Huang’s warning was genuine. But he also knew nothing could change the Hoary Urchin’s mind, and he could not let an injured man sail into danger alone.

  “Perhaps I worry too much. Your extraordinary kung fu should see you safe.” Apothecary Huang turned away from them and glared at Guo Jing. “Go with them, lad. Tell me, did Zhou Botong reveal to you that you were learning the Nine Yin Manual?”

  “He never said so.” Guo Jing shook his head. “I saw Cyclone Mei practise the Nine Yin Skeleton Claw. It was inhuman. I would have refused to learn, if I’d known it was—”

  “Oh, you knew!” Zhou Botong cut Guo Jing off. There was no better time to pull a prank than when everyone else was deadly serious. “I only taught you the first volume! You told me you tricked Cyclone Mei into lending you her copy of the Manual. You made your own and learned it by heart. I remember you saying that Twice Foul Dark Wind’s kung fu was too brutal and you weren’t interested in it. But I told you Cyclone Mei had got it all wrong because Apothecary Huang didn’t understand the text. He taught her the wrong method. And then I said I could show you how to correctly interpret the Manual.”

  “You . . . You never said any of that . . .” Guo Jing trembled uncertainly.

  Zhou Botong blinked, a picture of sober sincerity. “I did. And you were delighted to hear it!”

  It was hard for Apothecary Huang to believe Guo Jing could have learned the Nine Yin Manual by heart without knowing what it was he was committing to memory. Surely, Zhou Botong, with his childlike honesty, must have blurted out the truth. He did not imagine a martial master would joke about something so serious. Guo Jing was a lying, conniving cheat, who deceived people by playing dumb.

  What’s more, Zhou Botong’s suggestion that it was Apothecary Huang who had led Hurricane Chen and Cyclone Mei’s training down the wrong path was a mortal blow to his pride. They had misinterpreted the Manual, but not because of his instructions. He had already experienced enough upheaval and disillusion in one day. His wife had not chosen her son-in-law from beyond the grave. He had conceded the martial title he coveted to his prisoner of fifteen years. The man his daughter had given her heart to had turned out to be a treacherous knave. He could no longer hold back the tide of fury.

  “Father . . .” Guo Jing said fearfully.

  “I am not your father-in-law, you devious boy! If you set foot on Peach Blossom Island again, I will show no mercy!”

  Apothecary Huang struck a servant from behind with the back of his hand. “This will be your fate!”

  A low groan escaped from the servant’s tongueless mouth as his body hurtled into the sea. The strike had ruptured his five internal organs, and he vanished beneath the waves. The other serving men fell to their knees in unison, fearing for their lives.

  All of Apothecary Huang’s servants had once been rogues and vagabonds. He had investigated each of their crimes before bringing them to the island, where he pierced their eardrums and cut out their tongues.

  “I, Apothecary Huang, known as Heretic of the East across the jianghu, am not an upright gentleman,” he had once said. “Naturally, I have no interest in keeping the company of upright gentlemen. As for my servants, the more evil and villainous they are, the more they are to my liking.”

  Weighed against the crimes he had committed, the servant’s death was not to be pitied. But the senseless way in which he had been dispatched brought forth the same thought in everyone’s mind: No wonder he’s known as the Heretic! That servant took the brunt of his anger for no reason.

  Unsure how he could have caused such offence, Guo Jing fell to his knees.

  Apothecary Huang knew he was in danger of killing Guo Jing on the spot, he was so furious, but such an act would be unworthy of a martial master of his stature. Putting his hands together in a gesture of respect, he turned to Zhou Botong, Count Seven Hong and Viper Ouyang and, through gritted teeth, said, “Please.”

  “Guo—” Before Lotus could say any more, her father grabbed her hand and dragged her away.

  Zhou Botong was struggling to contain his laughter, even as Apothecary Huang disappeared into the woods, and the merry convulsions were making his injury worse.

  “The Heretic is so gullible. He’s fallen for my prank again. He believed everything I said! I made it all up! This is so much fun!” He gave in to his mirth.

  “So Guo Jing knew nothing?” Count Seven Hong had not been expecting such a revelation.

  “Of course he knew nothing. Guo Jing believes with his whole being that the Nine Yin Manual is infernally wicked. Do you think he would have learned a word of it, if he knew? But, now that you’ve memorised it, brother, there’s no way you can get it out of your head, is there?” Zhou Botong dissolved once more into laughter, the pain gripping his chest.

  “This is a joke we can ill afford, Hoary Urchin. I will find Brother Apothecary to set things right.”

  Count Seven Hong ran into the forest, but it was criss-crossed with paths and trails, impossible to guess which one Apothecary Huang had taken. The servants had dispersed as soon as their master left the shore, so, unable to find anyone to guide him, Count Seven Hong gave up and returned to the others. Then he remembered. “Nephew Ouyang, could you lend me the map of Peach Blossom Island?”

  “Please don’t take offence, Uncle Hong, but, without Uncle Huang’s permission, I am not at liberty to show the map to anyone.”

  Count Seven Hong sighed at his own stupidity. Of course he won’t help – he wants the Heretic to hate my silly disciple!

  Flashes of white appeared among the trees as the thirty-two dancers and musicians presented to Apothecary Huang emerged from the forest. The woman in front curtseyed to Viper Ouyang. “Master Huang asked us to return with my lord.”

  With barely a glance in their direction, Viper Ouyang waved them onto the ship and turned to Zhou Botong. “I will sail behind you. Should there be any trouble, I will gladly offer you assistance.”

  “Spare me your fawning! I want to find out what strange contraptions the Heretic has hidden on that ship. We won’t come across any dangers if you sail behind us. Where’s the fun in that? If you spoil my fun, I’ll pour ano
ther jar of pee over your head!”

  “Very well,” Viper Ouyang said. He put his fist against his palm in a gesture of farewell and boarded his ship with his nephew.

  5

  GUO JING WAS STILL STARING AT THE SPOT WHERE LOTUS HAD vanished into the woods.

  “Brother, come aboard. Let’s see what this inanimate ship will do to us three living, breathing men!” Zhou Botong took Count Seven Hong’s arm in his left hand and Guo Jing’s in his right, pulling both of them up the gangplank at a sprint.

  The crew of half a dozen men were waiting silently on board.

  The Hoary Urchin took one look at the mute servants and said gleefully, “If one day the Heretic truly lives up to his wicked name and cuts out his darling daughter’s tongue, then I’ll say he’s earned his title.” Guo Jing shuddered at the thought.

  Zhou Botong chuckled at his sworn brother’s reaction. “Did I frighten you?” He gestured at the crew to get them underway. They lifted the anchor and unfurled the sails without a word. The south wind guided the boat gently into the sea.

  “Let’s find out what’s so odd about this ship,” Count Seven Hong said.

  The three of them examined it carefully from the bow to the stern and from the deck down to the hold. Nothing seemed unusual or out of place. In fact, every spar and surface glistened with fresh paint. The galley was well stocked with water, rice, wine, meat and vegetables.

  “The Heretic lied!” The Hoary Urchin felt cheated. “He said something wasn’t right, but it all looks fine! Spoilsport!”

  But Count Seven Hong still had his suspicions. He leapt onto the mast and rocked it a few times, before turning his attention to the sails, giving them a good tug. Everything appeared to be in perfect working order.

  He watched as the gulls swooped and soared over the blue expanse, where sea and sky blended into one. The three sails pulled taut by the wind and took them northwards. His sleeves flapped in the sea breeze, and a carefree joy lifted his heart. Then he noticed Viper Ouyang was tailing them, keeping a distance of some two li.

  He jumped down onto the deck and gestured for the crew to sail north-west. A few moments later, the Venom’s vessel also changed course.

  Why is he following us? Count Seven Hong was certain Viper Ouyang could not be keeping them company out of concern for their safety. If the Venom had grown a heart, then the sun would henceforth rise from the west.

  The Beggar kept the discovery to himself, lest the Hoary Urchin throw another tantrum. He signalled the helmsman to head east. The sails all turned at once, and, as they were no longer catching the wind in full, the ship began to slow down. Once again, Viper Ouyang also changed course, still stubbornly tailing them.

  Perhaps they’ll try to board, Count Seven Hong thought, and he returned to the cabin. There sat Guo Jing, downcast and in a daze.

  “I’ll teach you a trick,” Count Seven Hong said, to boost his disciple’s spirits. “This is how we beggars wrangle for food. If they won’t give you anything, you harry them outside their house for three days and three nights.”

  Zhou Botong giggled. “What if they’ve got nasty dogs and they set them on you?”

  “Since they’re so rich and yet know no kindness, sneak in at night and steal their treasures. Such a deed hurts no-one.”

  “Do you understand what your shifu is saying?” Zhou Botong turned to Guo Jing. “He’s telling you to pester your father-in-law until you get what you want. If he still won’t give you his daughter and he threatens to beat you up, go back at night and spirit her away. The best thing is, you’re stealing a living treasure. You just need to say, ‘Come, precious!’ and she’ll follow you! Easy!”

  Guo Jing could not help but smile. Watching Zhou Botong pace up and down the cabin, he was reminded of someone. “Brother, where will you go now?”

  “I don’t know. I’ll wander around – wherever takes my fancy. I’ve been on that little island for too long, the boredom was killing me.”

  “May I ask you for a favour?”

  “If you’re asking me to go back to help you steal your woman, then no!” Zhou Botong waved frantically to bat the idea away.

  “No, not that . . .” Guo Jing flushed bright red. “I was hoping Brother would visit Roaming Cloud Manor, near Yixing, on the shore of Lake Tai.”

  “What for?”

  “The lord of the manor, Zephyr Lu, is a great man and true hero. He was a disciple of Peach Blossom Island. Thanks to Twice Foul Dark Wind, his legs were broken by my father-in-law and he has been crippled ever since. Since Brother found a way to recover fully, I was hoping you might share your method.”

  “Oh, yes, that’s simple. And, if the Heretic breaks my legs again, I’ll know how to mend them once more. Break them now, if you don’t believe me!” Zhou Botong sat down and extended his legs, goading Guo Jing with an impudent stare.

  Guo Jing smiled. “I’m confident of your skills.”

  The cabin door crashed open and the helmsman tumbled through, his face ashen. He waved his arms and stamped his feet in panic, but he could utter no words to explain his fear. They leapt up and rushed after the man. Had the danger Apothecary Huang prophesied come true?

  6

  LOTUS HUANG CRIED ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE HOUSE, FURIOUS that her father had dragged her away before she could bid Guo Jing farewell. She ran into her room and slammed the door.

  Now his rage had subsided somewhat, Apothecary Huang began to wonder if he had done his daughter wrong by condemning Guo Jing to death. He wanted to say a few words of comfort, but when he went to her room, his knocks were ignored. The door remained shut at supper time. He ordered a servant to bring her dinner, but the poor man was sent sprawling out of the doorway, along with the food he had brought for her.

  Papa always keeps his word – he’ll kill Guo Jing if he comes back to Peach Blossom Island. But, if I go looking for him, Papa will be left on his own. There’ll be no-one here to keep him company.

  For once, Lotus was at a loss what to do. Some months ago, after her father had said a few stern words to her, she had run away without a second thought. But when she was reunited with him at Roaming Cloud Manor, the first thing she had noticed was how grey he was at the temples. In the short time she was gone, he seemed to have aged ten years. The sight had weighed on her heart. She swore never to cause him to worry again, yet now . . .

  She buried her face in her bed and sobbed.

  If Mama were alive, she’d know what to do, she wouldn’t let me suffer like this.

  At the thought of her mother, she got out of bed and headed to the main hall.

  Once outside, Lotus was greeted by a glittering heaven, full of stars. The summer air was heavy with the scent of flowers.

  Guo Jing must be dozens of li from the island, now. Would they ever see each other again? She dried her tears on her sleeve and walked into a knot of blossoming trees.

  Following a path carpeted by fallen petals and leaves, she was soon at her mother’s tomb. In this part of the island, the trees were always lush and rare flowers bloomed all year. Her father had personally selected each of the plants that surrounded her mother’s grave, collecting the most famous and unique flora under the heavens. Fragrance and beauty vied with each other under the moonlight.

  Lotus put her hand on the tombstone, pressing down on the left and right side several times, before giving it a shove. The stone slab shifted to reveal a tunnel. She stepped into the unlit passage and followed it deeper underground. After the third turn, she triggered another mechanism to open a second stone gate. Once she had entered the burial chamber, she took out some tinder and a flint to light the coloured-glaze lamps on the altar.

  Emotions swirled within her at the sight of her mother’s portrait.

  Mama, when I die, will I finally get to meet you? Is this how you look? So gentle and beautiful. Where are you now? Are you up there, in the heavens? Or down there, in the underworld? Maybe you’re here, in this chamber, with me? Mama, perhaps I should stay in
this room forever, so I can be with you always.

  Not only had Apothecary Huang painted his wife’s portrait and hung it in the burial chamber, he had also filled the space with many precious objects – antiques, jewellery and scrolls of paintings and calligraphy. A keen connoisseur, he had built up an impressive collection when he roamed the lakes and the seas, using his martial prowess to commandeer treasures from royal palaces, wealthy families and notorious bandits. When his wife passed away, he had interred everything with her body to keep her company.

  Lotus looked from her mother’s likeness to the jewels laid out around her. Warmed by the glow of the lamp, the pearls, jades and ambers glistened.

  These treasures have no feelings, yet they are unchanging for hundreds and thousands of years. Lotus’s sorrow was reflected in their sheen. I shall turn to dust and earth, yet, on that day, these pretty things will still be here, as perfect as they are now. Is it because we have become aware that our lives must be fleeting? Was it because she was so clever that Mama was only allowed to live to twenty?

  As she gazed at the portrait, she lost all sense of time. Eventually, she blew out the lamps and parted the woollen drapes to reveal her mother’s jade sarcophagus. Feeling its coolness, she leaned against it and curled up on the ground. Sadness filled her heart, but she found some comfort in being there, as if she were pressing close to Mama.

  The swing between extremes of joy and grief in this one day had exhausted Lotus, and soon she fell into a deep sleep.

  She was back in Zhongdu, the Jin capital, in the Prince of Zhao’s residence, fighting a group of martial men alone. Then she was on the northern border road, where she came across Guo Jing. Just as they got talking to each other, she thought she saw her mother. She wanted to see Mama’s face, but it would not come into focus. She tried to get a good look at her, but suddenly Mama flew upwards into the sky. She ran and ran, earthbound, while Mama ascended higher and higher. Now, she could hear Papa’s voice, calling Mama’s name. His cries grew clearer and clearer.

  Her father was calling from the other side of the drapes. She was not dreaming anymore. He was here, in the burial chamber.