Book 11 Chapter 7: Witnessing Injustice Along the Way
Book 11 Chapter 7: Witnessing Injustice Along the Way
There was a chaos on the city of Xiangyang’s side river bank, there were even three, four boats moored on the pier on fire, sending a lot of smoke and fire debris into the originally clear, cloudless night sky. The dozen or so bamboo and wood sheds on the dock did not escape the fire; they were ablaze, sending out crackling noises.
Bitter cries and shouts shook the heavens. Under the light of the blazing fire, several thousands of refugees and traveling merchants outside the city gate were running like wolves, rushing like rats; nobody could see clearly which ones were the perpetrators and which ones were the victims.
Rushing to the deck, Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong could only stare blankly at the scene unfolding before their eyes; they both thought that perhaps even ten Ning Daoqis would not be able to control the present chaos.
His countenance changed, Chen Laiman said, “Must be horse thieves coming to loot money and goods; we must weigh anchor and set sail immediately.”
His men acknowledged the order and moved out.
Kou Zhong turned to Xu Ziling and said, “Shushu [uncle]! We still need to come into the city to visit our family!”
Xu Ziling actually forgot his identity; suddenly hearing someone calling him ‘uncle’, he nearly burst out laughing. Fighting hard to control himself, he nodded and said, “Yixin is right. Mr. Chen, please inform Madam, we are leaving!”
Sha Fu, who was standing on the other side, anxiously said, “We have not given gentlemen your due rewards!”
Kou Zhong reached out to pat his shoulder; giggling, he said, “Luckily Sha Guanjia [Housekeeper] reminded us. To tell you the truth, we have always been known for our chivalry, oftentimes we forgot to ask for the rewards due us. Ha! Guanjia really understands people!”
Regaining his composure, Chen Laiman said, “Gentlemen, please wait here for a moment.” Immediately he disappeared into the cabin.
Looking at the shadow of people running around on the opposite bank, Xu Ziling was overwhelmed with a powerless and helpless feeling.
No matter how superior he trained his martial art skill, under the chaos before his eyes, he knew that there was nothing he could do. Only when the world [tianxia] was unified would government decree be able to be implemented accurately, and then everything could be kept in track.
Should he help Kou Zhong reaching his goal?
He was sure that Kou Zhong would be a good emperor who loves the common people as his own children; he could not possibly turn into another Yang Guang.
Meanwhile, accompanied by Chen Laiman, the young madam came on deck and walked gracefully over toward the two boys. Bowing down, she said, “Since two Gentlemen have important matter to attend to, Bisu understood that it is difficult to urge you to stay. If in the future you have a chance to come to Luoyang, please come to the Sha Mansion at Shihu [stone lake] Street in the south side of the city. Bisu will definitely receive you wholeheartedly.”
Xu Ziling’s eyes met with her limpid eyes; some kind of hard-to-describe feeling flitted across his heart. It was not a feeling between a man and a woman. Because the young madam’s eyes were pure and faultless, only it revealed a heartfelt childish admiration and gratitude, so much so that there was an eagerness to get his protection and thirst for an older generation doting on her.
After suppressing the surge of bizarre feeling in his heart, Xu Ziling spoke casually, “Shao Furen is too polite. Supposing we go to Luoyang, we will definitely come to your precious abode to pay our respect to Shao Furen.”
When the young madam’s eyes met his, her fragrant heart was shaken as well. She had never seen an old man with a pair of eyes like Xu Ziling’s. Not that the opposite party’s eyes were bright and sharp, neither were they deep and unfathomable, rather, there was a profound, attractive intelligence and affection in them, making her heart yearning to be dependent on him as her elder generation with a subtle child-like admiration.
Shocked, she immediately hang down her small cicada head; offering the heavy-looking purse in her hand, she said, “Such a meager compensation is inadequate to express Bisu’s gratitude, would Mister please accept it?”
Kou Zhong’s eyes lit up; he nudged Xu Ziling.
Xu Ziling cursed in his heart; reaching out, he took the purse. When his fingertips touched the young madam’s delicate hand, although he already exercised strict control over his own emotion, he could not stop his heart from being shaken.
When the young madam had her hands touched by his fingertips, she felt a burst of fiery feeling spread out all over her tender body. It was a feeling she had never even imagined before. Her entire body trembled, she nearly cried out.
Kou Zhong pulled Xu Ziling away abruptly. The two of them expressed their thanks, and soared away immediately. They first landed on a boat in the middle of the river, before sweeping away toward the opposite bank, and disappeared into the dancing shadows beyond the blazing fire.
A strange feeling like she had just lost something welled up in the young madam’s heart; it was the first time that she encountered such strange people as they were.
These two men’s, one old the other young, appearance left nothing to be desired, yet in the young madam’s eyes, they were the great benefactor who saved her beloved child’s life. Moreover, the longer she came in contact with them, the more she felt their good and honest, frank and sincere character, that they were real chivalrous heroes who were hidden deep without showing off.
When could she see them again?
※ ※ ※
When Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling’s feet landed on the ground by the river bank, all around them were people running away without their clothes and belongings, while dead bodies were scattered everywhere; it was an unbearable scene to witness.
Those who were able to escape had already fled; the boats and ships moored at the dock were bogged down by raging flames and thick smoke.
The City of Xiangyang was brightly lit, a clear indication that Qian Duguan was closely monitoring the situation outside the city.
From the wooded area southeast of the city came the sound of battle. After exchanging a glance, the two boys let their feet had free reins as they ran at full speed toward the sound.
Until now, they were still unclear of what had just happened.
A moment later, after they had run for nearly three li, with the torch light of the City of Xiangyang behind them, they heard the sound of battle was getting nearer.
Raising their qi, the two boys ran at full speed and very soon they were through the woods and reached the wilderness outside the forest. Sword qi and flickering saber immediately came into view. It appeared that more than a dozen people were engaged in a fierce battle.
Upon a closer look, they were dumbstruck. Turned out this crowd of about a dozen men was part of a larger group of nearly three hundred Wulin people; they were besieging one person, and that man happened to be Ba Fenghan.
Pulling Xu Ziling back into the forest, Kou Zhong looked outside, blew out a mouthful of cold air and said, “This time Fengshi Han will be toast; why don’t I see his confidante, Yu Yi?”
Xu Ziling was bewildered as well; he was even more confused as what the event in front of his eyes had to do with the murder, looting and arson that were happening outside the city just now.
Under the torches that were lifted high, he noticed that the dozen or so men in the wilderness seemed to be from different gangs, societies, schools and sects, who stood in neat rows in all direction, surrounding Ba Fenghan in the middle. They were employing tag-team tactic, by taking turn so that someone would always be in the arena to fight.
Ba Fenghan already had two or three bloodstain on his body; although he looked somewhat tired, his movement was still like a whirlwind, as he freely advanced and retreated among the seven or eight people besieging him. Reflecting the torches’ light, the sword in his hand flickered endlessly. Wherever the sword flashed, someone would suffer the consequence.
On the ground there were already more than a dozen dead bodies, which naturally was his handiwork. But the enemy had inexhaustible reinforcement; if he could not break the siege and escape, he would definitely die of exhaustion.
‘Dang! Dang! Dang!’
Ba Fenghan’s sword suddenly brightened; brandishing his sword to attack, his momentum increased sharply. He flew around like a tornado; two opponents in grey clothes were thrown high in the air, and the number of terrifying looking dead bodies on the ground was increased by two.
A sweet-sounding female voice said, “Yichun Pai [Yichun is a prefecture level city in Jiangxi] Er Dangjia [second chief], please send out your men!”
Four men immediately jumped out from a group of people: two wielded spears, two wielded axes, in a tight yet meticulous and flexible formation to join the fray, so that Ba Fenghan, who was about to escape, was pushed back into his original spot.
Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong cast their gaze in the direction of the voice, and saw that the person who bossed everybody around was a woman in white with beautiful shoulder length hair, her figure was well proportioned and graceful. Under the blazing torch, her slender eyebrows extended into her temples, her skin as fair as jade, her beautiful countenance as picturesque as a painting; she was extremely good-looking.
Standing next to her were all female warriors, eight young women with awe-inspiring heroic spirit, wearing yellow warrior outfit and swords on their back, protecting her in the middle.
Evidently she was the commander who directed this besiege against Ba Fenghan. Just by looking at the way she maneuvered the troops in timely manner to intercept Ba Fenghan, it was clear that she was a very formidable character.
The woman issued her command again, “Qingjiang Pai, Cangwu Pai, retreat! Jiangnan Hui, Mingyang Bang[1], take their places.”
Most of the people besieging Ba Fenghan withdrew quickly, leaving only those four Yichun Pai martial art masters engaging Ba Fenghan in hard fight, while the other two groups of people entered the arena, attacking Ba Fenghan so that he did not even have any chance to take a breather.
In order to kill the two enemies just now, obviously Ba Fenghan had spent considerable energy; unexpectedly he was unable to break the siege to escape, and thus he was caught in the bitter struggle once again.
“Aiya!”
Ba Fenghan’s sword flashed past, sharp ray suddenly disappeared, the Yichun Pai martial art master wielding a spear lost his life.
But the victory was like the ‘night blooming cactus appears only once’ [i.e. short-lived]; the new batch of people with sabers and swords moved together, everyone went all-out in disregard of their lives, so that the circle tightened, the space in which Ba Fenghan could move freely was getting smaller. The danger was escalated substantially.
The woman called out, “Badong Pai’s [Badong county, Hubei] Chen Dangjia please personally make your move!”
As soon as her voice fell, a man wielding a staff soared up and leaped toward Ba Fenghan, with the staff striking down on his head; his timing was impeccable.
While Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were left speechless with the woman in white’s brilliant insight, Ba Fenghan let out a cold snort; like magic his sword created layer upon layer of sword waves, forcing the men besieging him to back off, before he himself leaped up to parry.
‘Qiang!’
Badong Pai’s Chief Chen, along with his staff, was thrown far away and spurted a mouthful of blood.
But Ba Fenghan’s favorable situation did not last long; the men besieging him took the opportunity to close in. After a series of clashing blades, two men were hit by the sword and fell down, dead. But Ba Fenghan also staggered because his shoulder was hit by a flexible truncheon.
Three sabers and one sword from four different angles hacked together toward Ba Fenghan, who was losing his strength; each one carried a full power, each strike was swift and fierce.
While it seemed like Ba Fenghan was about to lose his life, this guy suddenly straightened up his body and drew a rainbow to protect his body. The enemy’s weapons could only strike the sword light, which sent them stumbling back immediately.
Six other men immediately entered the arena, without giving him any chance to rest.
The woman in white signaled the others to retreat, while calling out four more names; they were either of sect leader, a longtou [dragon head/boss] or dangjia [chief] rank. They attacked Ba Fenghan so that he did not have any strength left to shout angrily.
Kou Zhong whispered in Xu Ziling’s ear, “In any case, we could be considered friends. Last time in Xiangyang this kid was not bad toward us. Do you want to rescue him?”
Xu Ziling asked in surprise, “Zhong Shao, you have never had favorable impression toward him, haven’t you?”
A bit awkwardly Kou Zhong said, “Just consider it we are doing Yu Yi a favor!”
Xu Ziling smiled slightly and nodded, “You are just afraid that without Ba Fenghan, Wulin world will lose its color quite a bit! Ha! Let’s go! Taking advantage of superior number to bully inferior number, what kind of heroes are they?”
Outside, Ba Fenghan already changed his previously hard, disregarding-everything, all-out attack, to a subtle, mysterious, extremely tight defense, watching-for-every-crack-and-exploit-it, kind of sword technique. Very soon two more people splashed their blood and fell to the ground. But those with good insight would know that he had no spare capacity to break the siege, and that was the real reason why he adopted defensive position, hoping to delay him getting knocked down.
Lowering his voice, Kou Zhong said, “We’d better take off our masks first, otherwise everybody would find out that we understand the art of disguise, and that would be truly disadvantageous for us in the future.”
The two boys immediately took off their masks and after putting it away properly, they looked at each other and laughed, before they swiftly ran out of their hiding.
With a loud shout Kou Zhong pulled his Moon in the Well and charged forward.
The people besieging Ba Fenghan seemed to know that someone would come to help him. Under the woman in white’s command, the two groups of people nearest the forest separately sent out four men to meet him.
Flicking his wrist, Kou Zhong turned his Moon in the Well into saber light and yellow rays filling the air, rolling in toward the enemy like a raging tide, its imposing manner like a rainbow.
Xu Ziling let out a shout, “Xiao Di’s [little brother] coming!” and soared forward toward the siege.
Hearing that, Ba Fenghan’s spirit was greatly aroused; his sword ray flared out, forcing the enemy all around to drop and withdraw in a flurry. With a hack of his sword, one enemy was stuck and fell, and died a violent death.
The eight men meeting Kou Zhong had to face the Moon in the Well, and every single one of them felt that they were completely shrouded by the opponent’s saber power, so that in terror, they were unable to attack.
The most shocking thing was that the opponent’s saber qi carried a stream of spiraling energy; it was both hard to fathom and difficult to resist. Terrified, they withdrew in profusion.
Kou Zhong’s leg flew. After kicking an enemy, he entered the enemy ranks. The enemy could no longer maintain their previously calm attitude; their formation turned chaotic, they lost their systematic offense as they attacked Kou Zhong in confusion.
By this time Xu Ziling already entered the perimeter of the siege surrounding Ba Fenghan. His fists sending out two punches, ‘Bang! Bang!’ two enemies were thrown sideways by this exploding spiraling qi.
With his feet firmly on the ground, Xu Ziling kicked an iron staff sweeping at him, while as if he did not use any strength at all his left palm lightly tapped on a shield, but the shield wielder immediately spurted out a mouthful of blood and fell back.
Naturally Ba Fenghan would not stay idle; as soon as the pressure lessened, he swiftly backed off, like a thunderstorm his sword burst forth, first it knocked off a large axe and sent it flying, and then it cut through another man’s saber ray, followed by using the back of his sword to sweep a middle-aged man wearing black, sending him rolling away for a zhang or so. Letting out a long laugh, he said, “Two gentlemen are indeed Ba Fenghan’s friends.”
The siege surrounding him immediately melted like ice and broke like tiles.
Blocking the sabers, spears, swords and halberds from the four sides and eight directions, Xu Ziling called out loudly, “Let’s not stay too long, we’ll find a place to drink tea together.”
Ba Fenghan voiced his agreement; attacking all around, the enemy suffered a crushing defeat. In an instant he already joined Xu Ziling, and together they charged toward Kou Zhong.
The battlefield turned chaotic; from the previously orderly and well-coordinated attack, it turned into every man for himself. Even when the woman in white shouting and scolding in her tender voice, nobody had any time to listen to her order.
With Xu Ziling and Ba Fenghan fought side-by-side, the people trying to block them were already swept by the wind, much less right now they were heart and soul trying to escape, who could stop them? Instantly they were able to join Kou Zhong, which increased their momentum by leaps and bounds, hence they were able to break the siege and easily ran away.
※ ※ ※
In a valley about fifteen li west of the City of Xiangyang, Ba Fenghan, Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong jumped down from a slit on the hill’s wall toward a small pool below, where they drank some water and took a rest.
Ba Fenghan was dead tired; slowly taking off his upper garment, he revealed chiseled muscles and three cuts. Suddenly he shook his head and said with a sigh, “Wow, that b1tch [poniang] is really formidable; she drained my spirit that I nearly fell headlong under her hands.”
Kou Zhong was kneeling by the pond, scooping the water to wash his face, enjoying the cold water splashing into his collar and down his neck. Hearing Ba Fenghan’s comment, he said, “Is Ba Xiong talking about that b1tch [see above] in white? She is quite beautiful. Who exactly is she? How could she make so many people from different gangs and sects to listen to her command?”
This moment Ba Fenghan has stripped to his underwear; his majestic-as-mountain body entered the pool, and he waded toward the waterfalls. Casually, he replied, “That b1tch is called Zheng Shuming, the widow of the late Dajiang [Great River] Alliance’s Mengzhu [alliance master], the Jiang Ba [River Overlord]. Have you heard about the Great River Alliance? They are the union of the dozen or so schools and sects, big and small, around the Great River. After I killed the River Overlord, Zheng Shuming temporarily took over the River Overlord’s position. In fact, from the beginning this b1tch has been the mastermind behind the Great River Alliance’s policy.”
Standing by the pond, Xu Ziling was watching the waterfall falling down on Ba Fenghan’s head; frowning, he asked, “Why did Ba Xiong kill the River Overlord?”
Shrugging his shoulders, Ba Fanghan replied, “I really don’t have any logical explanation; he started it by taking his men to give me trouble. Problem is, his skill was not as good as mine so that in the end he lost his life. That’s all.”
Kou Zhong lay down and closed his tiger eyes; sighing comfortably, he commented, “I am afraid the number of enmity Ba Xiong has is higher than ours!”
Smiling slightly, Ba Fenghan said, “Kou Zhong, you’d better do as Xu Xiong is doing, stand up for a moment. After each fight, it is best not to lie down. Lying down is not good, even harmful for your cultivation. I am also dead tired right now, but I am forcing myself to hang on, and not letting my exhaustion to conquer me. Ha! The battle just now was very exciting.”
Kou Zhong jumped in fright, “Is that right?” he asked.
Ba Fenghan burst out laughing, “You are very obedient!” he said. And then, pointing to a three-cun saber cut on his left arm, he sighed and said, “This cut was from Mingyang Bang’s Fu Bangzhu [Deputy Sect Leader] Xie Hou. His saber technique was very good in exploiting cracks and gaps; it was very effective in tangled battle like that. If it were not for my over eagerness to kill, my sword momentum would not be that exhausted and Xie Hou would never had a chance to injure me, but then I would not have counterstruck and killed him. Thus life and death was decided in just one moment.”
Xu Ziling looked up to the heavens, the stars seemed to be disappearing from the night sky above the valley, it would soon be dawn. He said indifferently, “This time Ba Xiong went to the Central Plains, was it for the purpose of stirring up trouble, presumptuously flaunting your aggressiveness, and going on a killing spree?”
Ba Fenghan moved away from the waterfall; standing in the middle of the pool, he displayed his overbearing might as he laughed aloud and said, “Kou Zhong would not ask such a question. It is thus clear that underneath Xu Xiong’s strong heroism is the weak heart of a woman. You might make womenfolk happy, but it’s definitely not what manly men harbor in their hearts.”
After a short pause, with his eyes flickering with cold rays, he looked at Xu Ziling, who was staring at him, and boldly said, “In the life of the real men, the most important thing is to have a free hand, to stride toward the goal he himself had established. Whoever stands in his way, whether he is the most revered in Wulin or the old man Emperor himself, must be cleaved open by the sword. How could I, Ba Fenghan, have the leisure time to stir up trouble? I even disdain to have dealings with ordinary men. The way of the sword can only be brought to maturity by tempering oneself. I came to the Central Plains with the spirit of making friends in the martial art world, but those who were subdued under my sword have always refused to submit, and thus it has become hopelessly muddled, and by hook or by crook, trying to seek revenge. But why should I, Ba Fenghan, be afraid of them?”
‘Splash!’
The stark-naked Kou Zhong jumped into the part of the pool where the water was chest deep, splashing water toward Xu Ziling, who was standing by the pool, until his clothes was soaking wet. Only then did he emerge from the water right next to Ba Fenghan. Gasping for breath, he laughed and said, “Ba kid, that was a very beautiful speech. What do you mean by ‘Ba Fenghan is not afraid of them’? Don’t forget that just now you were nearly chopped down into minced meat sauce by those people, yet you still put an air of considering yourself unexcelled in the world? Ridiculous!”
Ba Fenghan did not know whether he should laugh or he should cry. “You are getting more and more blunt toward me!” he finally said, “But I think this is very refreshing, because there has never been anybody who talk to me bluntly as a good friend like this before.”
And then, after letting out a cold snort, he continued, “There is no harm in telling you, I have an especially potent xinfa [mental cultivation] skill with which I could send out my power at once; if I had used it, I would definitely be able to break the heavy siege. However, afterwards I would have to regulate my breathing for six months to recover. Therefore, I am still very grateful that you came out to help me. Even though you mock and ridicule me, I don’t mind too much.”
Xu Ziling squatted down by the pond; wiping the water droplets from his face he said, “Where did you learn your martial art skill from? How did you offend Bi Xuan?”
“Xiao Ling,” Kou Zhong asked in surprised, “Others insulted you and spoke unbearably bad things about you, yet you are not angry at all and did not refute?”
Xu Ziling shrugged his shoulders elegantly and said, “Everybody is entitled to his own opinion; women’s heart represents goodness, honesty, and tenderness; there is nothing wrong with it. Am I right?”
A faint smile appeared on Ba Fenghan’s mouth; he said, “Xu Ziling is indeed Xu Ziling; no wonder Wanjing was very reluctant to part with you.”
And then he immersed his entire body in the water. When he re-emerged, his pair of tiger-eyes revealed a far-away look as if he was remembering something fondly. He spoke slowly, “Everything I understand in life came from my growing up in the middle of a group of horse thieves. All I know was that whoever has sharp blade won’t have to suffer under other people’s rage. Ay! It’s been a very long time since I recalled all these things.”
Kou Zhong, who was right next to him, rose up to his full height. He was only about a cun shorter, but his build, as well as his imposing attitude, was not inferior in any respect. “In that case, you don’t need to talk about it. Right! Weren’t you traveling together with Yu Yi? How come you are alone now?”
Smiling wryly, Ba Fenghan replied, “She and I got separated!”
“What?” the two boys blurted out.
[1] Qingjiang river in Hubei, Cangwu county, Wuzhou, Guangxi, Jiangnan is general area south of Yangtze River, Mingyang means bright sun. Pai – Sect, Hui – society, Bang – gang.