Chapter 24
Under the moonlight, Murong Jiumei could clearly see the face of the monster, who else could it be but Xiao Yu’er? And wasn’t it the very same Xiao Yu’er whom she had indeed caused to die a horrible death?
In the deep night and the mountain wilderness, the dark wind blew in gusts. In such a place, and so unexpectedly meeting a freak with wild hair and snakes slithering all over his body, whom she recognized as a victim murdered by her own cruel hand.
No matter how brave Murong Jiumei was, this was something she could not handle.
She pointed a trembling finger at Xiao Yu’er, her voice quavered: “You…you…”
Upon speaking the second “you”, she had already fainted dead away from fright.
Zhang Qing, although she didn’t understand the underlying details behind Murong Jiumei’s reaction, she could certainly see the many snakes writhing around Xiao Yu’er. Seeing Murong Jiumei in a frightened swoon on the ground, she herself was scared out of her wits. With a scream of fear, she turned and ran. In a moment she was out of sight.
Xiao Yu’er laughed loudly and said, “My snake brothers, no matter if you harm me in the future or not, I still have to thank you. After all, you have saved my life at least twice now.”
Tie Xinlan was the most bewildered of all. She sprang out from the darkness and stared at Xiao Yu’er. She couldn’t help asking, “When were you killed by Murong Jiumei? I don’t get it, you’re confusing me.”
Xiao Yu’er said, laughing, “It’s better when girls are a bit confused; the more they know, the more troubles occur. All you need to know is that I’m damn good.”
Tie Xinlan paused, then sighed: “You are good…you even scared Murong Jiumei into a faint, and frightened Zhang Qing away. Even if we told other people about this, no one would believe us.”
Looking down at the unconscious Murong Jiumei, Xiao Yu’er mused: “What do you think, how should I deal with her?”
Tie Xinlan thought for a bit, then said, “Just let her lie here, and we’ll leave.” She looked at Xiao Yu’er’s expression, then continued: “Or perhaps, perhaps you could use the rattan reeds(?) to tie her up. Wait till she comes around, then beat her a few times to get even.”
Xiao Yu’er said coldly: “Women are really too soft-hearted.”(?) Tie Xinlan asked, “Even this method is not cruel enough?”
“Of course not.”
Tie Xinlan’s voice shook: “Unless…unless you mean to kill her?”
Xiao Yu’er said, “So you’d rather I let her live to return and kill me instead?” Tie Xinlan stamped her foot: “I never thought you…. You are really cruel-hearted.”
“Well, now you know,” Xiao Yu’er retorted. “Just go somewhere far off if you don’t want to watch me kill her.”
Tie Xinlan stamped her foot once more and ran off.
Xiao Yu’er ignored her, his gaze still focused on Murong Jiumei. He murmured, “You evil woman, if I don’t kill you, how could I face myself.” Then he laughed coldly: “I should get my snakes to bite you, then we’ll see who’s more poisonous, you or the snakes.” He grasped Murong Jiumei’s hand as if to feed the snakes on his wrists.
At this moment the moonlight in the skies happened to shine down on her face. He saw her thin and pale face, her long eyelashes. Although she was still in a swoon, her appearance would make anyone feel pity. Her hands were cold and soft. To feed such hands to the snakes, would take a very ruthless person.
Xiao Yu’er’s hands also softened slightly, but then he thought of himself imprisoned in the ice cellar, Murong Jiumei leaving him to freeze and starve to death. His anger flared up again, and he gave a sinister laugh: “Whatever happens, you can’t blame me. If you hadn’t tried to kill me, I wouldn’t be avenging myself.”
Suddenly he heard someone slowly criticizing: “Using this kind of tactics to threaten a girl? You should be ashamed to call yourself a man.”
Xiao Yu’er’s head snapped up in surprise: “Who’s there?”
On the word “who”, he could already see a person standing before him. It was the elegant and refined Hua Wuque. Three people stood behind him. Two were the girls in white, and the third was Tie Xinlan. The three girls stared at Xiao Yu’er with huge eyes, as if wanting to devour him whole.
Xiao Yu’er was furious, but he merely smiled and kept his grip on Murong Jiumei’s hand: “You mean I can’t kill her?”
“A man should be more courteous when dealing with girls,” Hua Wuque responded evenly. “No matter how she may have wronged you, you should still be gentle, because she is a woman.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed out loud: “What a perfect gentleman! A man like you is truly the good fortune of women everywhere, they should make you an embroidered flag.(?)”
Hua Wuque smiled faintly and said, “Well said.”(?)
Xiao Yu’er went on: “But say the women wish to kill you, what should you do then? Should you close your eyes and await your death by their hands? You wouldn’t even return a single blow?”
“If I have wronged a woman,” Hua Wuque slowly said, “even if she wished to kill me, I would have no complaints.”
Xiao Yu’er persisted: “And if the woman wronged you? Would you kill her?” Hua Wuque said, “Men should always be gentle with women.”
“Where did you learn such a strange way of thinking?” Xiao Yu’er laughed bitterly. “According to you, all men everywhere deserve to die, we should all just drown ourselves in the Yellow River.”
“Not necessarily.”
Xiao Yu’er stared at him, torn between anger and amusement. Xiao Yu’er could not tell if Hua Wuque honestly didn’t understand him, or was merely pretending not to. He couldn’t decide if Hua Wuque was intelligent or an idiot.
Hua Wuque looked at him, smiling, without a trace of anger or anxiety. If he had truly been the gentle scholar type he seemed, Xiao Yu’er would have given him a beating a long time ago.
But his martial arts were truly shocking, as Xiao Yu’er knew. He could only sigh, and say: “What you want is for me to release her?”
Hua Wuque smiled and said, “Even to release her would be a deed worthy of a hero.”
Xiao Yu’er retorted, “If I release her today, and in future she returns to kill me, what then?”
Hua Wuque paused, then said, “Who can predict what will happen in the future?”
“Fine. If I want to kill her, I’m not a hero, nor a man, and I deserve to die. But if she wants to kill me, this is her natural right, and I should obviously let her murder me, is that it?”
Hua Wuque laughed, “That’s not what I meant to say. It’s just that…”
Xiao Yu’er shouted at him: “I don’t care what you meant. Today I am not your match. Even if you farted I’d have to pay attention. But, if ever I gain the upper hand, I swear I will slaughter some women in cold blood for your viewing pleasure.”
He heavily slapped away Murong Jiumei’s hand, saying, “Take her away.”
Hua Wuque was not angry at all; in fact he smiled slightly and said: “Thank you.”
The girls in white darted over like swallows and lifted Murong Jiumei into their arms.
The round-faced girl stared at Xiao Yu’er and gave a cold laugh: “If my master weren’t here, I would have killed you, to teach you a lesson about respecting women.”
Xiao Yu’er sneered, “Go ahead. Scold me as you wish. You’re a woman, you have a natural right to scold men, isn’t that right, young master Hua?”
Hua Wuque smiled: “A man who is scolded by a woman is actually lucky. Certain types of men, are not even worth a scolding.”
Xiao Yu’er barked out a mirthless laugh. “Ha ha…ha, so then, I must be really lucky. To make you feel better, some day I’ll have to find some women to give you loads of luck.”
“At that time, I’ll certainly be all ears,” Hua Wuque said, laughing.
Xiao Yu’er rolled his eyes; he felt as if he would explode with frustration.
He saw Helu tugging at Tie Xinlan’s hand, urging her: “Young lady, come with us.”
Tie Xinlan murmured, head bowed, “But I….I…”
Although her head was lowered, her gaze had never left Xiao Yu’er.
The round-faced girl said harshly, “Why should you care about this kind of man? Come with us.”
Helu smiled and added, “My master wishes to speak with you.”
Xiao Yu’er hollered: “Go, go! Leave with them then. I’m having a bad day already- with you around, my luck will get worse.”
Tie Xinlan’s head lowered still further, tears already brimming at the corners of her eyes.
The round-faced girl pulled at her hand, saying, “Ignore him, let’s go.”
Hua Wuque smiled and bowed, then turned to leave. Murong Jiumei, in Helu’s arms, suddenly moved and mumbled woozily, “Xiao Yu’er….Jiang Yu, let me go…let me go.”
Hua Wuque’s expression changed slightly. He swiftly turned to stare at Xiao Yu’er, and said, each word distinct: “You are Jiang Yu, and you are also Xiao Yu’er?”
Quite unconsciously, Xiao Yu’er began to grow alarmed, but he only said: “Why, is my name famous or something?”
Hua Wuque still stared at him for a brief moment, then lightly sighed and said, “I am very sorry.”
Xiao Yu’er opened his eyes in surprise: “Sorry? For what?”
Hua Wuque slowly said: “Because I’m going to kill you!”
These words shocked everyone.
“Is your head messed or something?” Xiao Yu’er cried out. “Why do you want to kill me all of a sudden?”
Hua Wuque answered, “Because you are Jiang Yu. In the entire world there is only one person I must kill. That person is Jiang Yu, and that means you.”
Xiao Yu’er sat in stunned silence. Then he sighed, “I see. But there must be someone who sent you to kill me.” Hua Wuque replied: “It was an order from my master.”
Tie Xinlan screamed, “Why would your master want you to kill him? Why?”
She tried to rush to Xiao Yu’er’s side, but the round-faced girl held her tightly.
Xiao Yu’er and Hua Wuque faced each other. Neither cast even a glance at Tie Xinlan.
A pause. Xiao Yu’er suddenly laughed aloud: “Very well. I had wanted to kill you already, but I only held back because my martial arts were inferior. But now…”
He raised his arms and rushed toward Hua Wuque. He was certainly not Hua Wuque’s match but as long as he could get near him, then his snakes would deal with him. No one could escape his snakes. They would not only take Hua Wuque’s life, but also his own.
But suddenly his arms shook. His chi(?) suddenly went awry, and both his wrists went numb. Before he had even reached Hua Wuque, the world turned to black.
Xiao Yu’er awoke. In front of him was an incense burner(?). The scented smoke permeated throughout and wafted towards Xiao Yu’er’s nose. He could not identify the scent. He sniffed…perhaps it was the fragrance of flowers, but no, now it smelled like herbs, maybe. He sniffed carefully a third time and thought maybe it was the scent of a lady’s cosmetics.
He didn’t care what it was, as long as it smelled wonderful, that was good enough for him.
Then he saw a knife.
It was a short dagger, with a jewel-encrusted handle. It was hung above the head of the bed. Its sheath appeared to be made of sharkskin; this was probably an ornamental blade.
These were the only decorations. The rest of the room was very plain, but neat and tidy(?), and meant to make its occupants comfortable.
Xiao Yu’er could not figure out where he was. He thought perhaps this was a bamboo hut built for Hua Wuque’s temporary use while on Mount Emei.
But how did he get here?
Had he not just been bitten by those lethal snakes? Why had he not succumbed to the poison? Unless it was Hua Wuque who had saved him. But why would he, didn’t he want to kill Xiao Yu’er?
He turned his head. His eyes instantly met Hua Wuque’s.
Sunlight streamed through the window. Under the light, Xiao Yu’er saw his eyes, his face, his elegant and refined demeanour, his clothes white as snow. He had to admit, Hua Wuque was a rare example of an extremely handsome young man.
Hua Wuque seemed to have been sitting there for quite some time. But he did not appear at all impatient or annoyed. Indeed, he seemed prepared to go on sitting there quietly, for a long while yet.
Xiao Yu’er could not help but admire this. He himself would not have been able to sit still for even fifteen minutes. Xiao Yu’er secretly tried a few movements and found that he was not in any pain. Furthermore, the lethal snakes on his body were entirely gone.
He inwardly relaxed. “Hey,” he called out, “was it you who saved me?”
Hua Wuque calmly replied, “It was me.”
Xiao Yu’er continued: “And it was you who cured me of the snake poison?”
Hua Wuque explained, “The Fairy Incense (?) and the Lady Pill (?) that you took, they are strong antidotes to many poisons.”
“But weren’t you trying to kill me just now?” Xiao Yu’er asked.
Slowly, Hua Wuque said: “I am still going to kill you. But I must do it myself; I can’t allow you to die from other causes.”
Xiao Yu’er blinked. “Why must you personally kill me?”
“Those were my orders.”
Xiao Yu’er was silent for a bit. Then: “I must die by your hand, and I must not be killed by anyone or anything else? So…Don’t you think that’s odd? You’ve never asked why?”
Hua Wuque said, “I don’t need to ask.” Xiao Yu’er deadpanned: “Looks like you’re quite obedient.”
“No one may disobey the decrees of the Floral Palace.”
“Seems like you’re quite honest too,” Xiao Yu’er mused. “Whatever questions I ask, you answer.”
Hua Wuque said, “No matter who asks me anything, I will always answer truthfully. I still must kill you. But killing you and answering your questions are two utterly unrelated matters.”
“You must kill me yourself?” Xiao Yu’er repeated. “What if I kill you?”
“You won’t be able to kill me,” said Hua Wuque. “You dare to fight to the death?” challenged Xiao Yu’er.
Hua Wuque declared, “I will take your life fairly and honestly!”
“Fine then, “Xiao Yu’er said. “Just move back a bit first, let me get up.”
Hua Wuque stood up and retreated eight or nine steps accordingly.
Xiao Yu’er slowly got up, and mumbled to himself: “You’re too honest a man, but I’m not sure if you’re really honest, or just so confident that you don’t care what I do.”
While he was speaking, he abruptly drew out the ornamental dagger from its sheath, and dropped to the ground.
Hua Wuque calmly watched him. His peaceful and noble air was enough to shame many who called themselves martial arts experts.
Xiao Yu’er suddenly burst into loud laughter: “It’s a simple thing if you merely want me dead. But to kill me yourself, that will never happen.”
Swiftly he flipped the blade around to point at his own heart.
Hua Wuque’s expression changed slightly. He asked: “What…what are you doing?”
Laughing, Xiao Yu’er made a face at him: “You make one move towards me, and I’ll stab myself. Then you’ll never get to kill me.”
Hua Wuque stood there stunned. He didn’t move. He never could have imagined that Xiao Yu’er would use such a strategy.
In martial arts, of course Hua Wuque was superior by far. But as for improvisation and adapting to danger, how could he even compare to the unpredictable and wily Xiao Yu’er?
This disparity, of course, was due to the two men being raised in entirely different environments. The lofty Fairies of the Floral Palace (?) could not hope to match the denizens of the Valley of Evil in craftiness. As for this trick of Xiao Yu’er’s, Hua Wuque would never have been able to execute it, even in his dreams.
Xiao Yu’er laughed like crazy: “If you still want to kill me, show a little patience. Don’t move…Not even one little move.”
His eyes were fixed on Hua Wuque, and he retreated step by step. Hua Wuque had no idea how to deal with such a situation, and could only stand still, helplessly watching Xiao Yu’er back out the door.
Xiao Yu’er did not dare to make a single mistake; although he had exited the door, still his eyes stared at Hua Wuque without blinking. He did not dare to relax even a bit.
Outside the door, the morning mist surrounded nameless flowers on the mountain. Although the sun had already risen, its light still had not yet dispersed the early morning fog on Mount Emei.
Step by backward step. He backed across a small path strewn with mountain flowers.(?) Unless he made sure Hua Wuque would not pursue him, Xiao Yu’er could not turn his head around. His steps were slow and his footfalls firm…
Hua Wuque was suddenly reminded of something, and called out: “Jiang Yu, don’t move!” As he shouted, he began to run out the door.
Xiao Yu’er threatened: “Stop right there! If you step one foot outside the door, I’ll immediately…”
Hua Wuque stopped dead at the threshold, beads of anxious, cold sweat on his forehead. He shouted loudly: “I said don’t move, you can’t go any further. Behind you…”
His warning was in vain; Xiao Yu’er’s left foot stepped backward onto thin air. By the time his shout of surprise could be heard, he had already fallen off the path. Behind him was a precipice; the fog and clouds made it hard to judge its depth. Hua Wuque saw Xiao Yu’er disappear over the edge, and could not reach him in time to pull him back.
Xiao Yu’er’s shout was sharp and brief; yet its echoes from the surrounding mountains continued to ring. Hua Wuque’s body seemed drained of strength- he clung to the door, slumped against it. He stared into the fog, sweat rolling down drop by drop.
By now Tie Xinlan had dashed outside, followed by four or five white-robed girls. She ran up to Hua Wuque and demanded, “Who was screaming just now? Was it him…tell me, was it him?!”
Hua Wuque nodded.
“Where…where is he?”
Hua Wuque sighed and shook his head.
Tie Xinlan saw his expression and stumbled backwards, her voice shaking: “You- you killed him…you killed him!”
She suddenly flung herself onto Hua Wuque and started hitting him with her fists. Her blows fell like rain upon him.
Hua Wuque still had not moved. He neither dodged nor defended himself. Tie Xinlan kept hitting him with all her strength, yet it was as if he didn’t even feel it.
The white-robed girls all cried out in surprise and anger, and simultaneously advanced on Tie Xinlan. Hua Wuque, unexpectedly, shielded her from their attacks, and said gently, “I did not kill him. He actually tripped himself and fell off the cliff edge.”
Tie Xinlan’s body shook. She drew back, and asked, “You…you really didn’t kill him?”
Hua Wuque said, “I have never lied in my life.”
“Then why did you not defend yourself?” she cried out.
Hua Wuque gazed at her with gentle eyes, and sighed: “I knew that right now you must be suffering greatly in your heart. Even if you hurt me, I wouldn’t blame you.”
Tie Xinlan was stunned by his words. Emotions clashed in her heart so that she no longer knew what she felt: tenderness, sorrow, bitterness, and anger. Hua Wuque was truly a kind and gentle man. But Xiao Yu’er…that rough and sly Xiao Yu’er, why was he the one who had left a deeper impression on her heart? He, above the other, was the one she always missed, the one she could neither forget nor leave behind. (1)
Hua Wuque looked at her kindly, and said: “Tie Guniang, you should rest now.”
Tie Xinlan agreed: “You’re right…I should go to rest…I should go…”
She suddenly made a mad dash towards the cliff edge, crying out hoarsely: “Xiao Yu’er, wait for me! I’m coming, to rest together with you…”
But before she reached the edge, Hua Wuque grabbed her hand and stopped her short. Tie Xinlan struggled furiously with all her might, but could not break free.
Tears flowed freely down her face. She screamed: “Let go of me…let go, why won’t you let me join him? He’s dead, down there by himself, he must be so lonely…”
They heard someone calmly say: “Who’s dead down there? He must be so lucky, to be left alone to rest forever in peace and quiet.”
In the milky white fog, they saw a feminine(?) silhouette slowly step out and approach them. It was Murong Jiumei.
Her face was even paler than the fog. Her once beautiful and lively(?) eyes had lost their brightness. In fact, they now seemed a little crazed.
Tie Xinlan gritted her teeth and shouted: “Xiao Yu’er is dead now, are you satisfied? He fell off the cliff, why don’t you go down and see how he’s doing?”
Murong Jiumei lightly shook her head back and forth. She said slowly, “He would not have died here. The dead person here could not be him!”
Suddenly she laughed out loud a few times. She said, still laughing, “He already died at the Murong Manor, by my hand…One person cannot die twice. What…are you talking about…?”
Her long hair, unbound, danced and flew about in the wind, just as wild as her crazed giggles.
Hua Wuque looked at her, sympathy in his eyes. He said softly, “Helu, this young lady must not have yet recovered from fright. Please help her back to the house to rest.”
Helu grasped Murong Jiumei’s hand, but Murong Jiumei continued to laugh: “I killed him myself, I saw his ghost with my own eyes! Ha, ha! Have you ever seen a ghost? How could you have killed him(?)?”
A fierce laughter suddenly joined her giggles. Tie Xinlan declared: “None of you could ever kill him. The only person who could do that…is himself.”
Her laughter dissolved into tears, as her voice cracked and she sobbed, “He has finally died by his own hand…he has destroyed himself. Why do clever people always destroy themselves?”
Tie Xinlan spoke truly. Clever people will sometimes place too much faith in their own intelligence. Intending to harm others, they wind up hurting themselves.
Xiao Yu’er, of course, had much more sense than that. That critical moment, when he stepped backward into thin air, had been staged for the benefit of Hua Wuque.
He had actually already assessed his surroundings and the situation to the smallest detail, even down to the strength he would need to break his fall(?). As his body plummeted, he stabbed his dagger into the cliff face with his right hand. The left immediately grasped onto some reeds(?) growing on the side of the mountain, plastering his body to the cliff wall.
This stunt alone would naturally demand a fast pair of eyes, an attentive, sharp mind and a brave heart. But in order to actually fool an onlooker, especially one of Hua Wuque’s caliber, the risk would be far greater, would it not?
Throughout the anguished cries of Tie Xinlan, the wild screams and laughter of Murong Jiumei, and Hua Wuque’s soft and gentle words, Xiao Yu’er had remained pressed against the cliff face. As he heard their speech, thoughts and emotions mixed in his mind to produce an indescribable feeling. But he managed to restrain himself and did not react, as if not a single syllable had reached his ears.
Finally, as the voices of the onlookers faded away and receded, Xiao Yu’er was able to relax. After a while, he quietly climbed upwards, his eyes turning from the cliff face to look outward. Just as he thought. No one there. He was just about to start upwards again, when, from beside him, someone spoke!
End of Chapter 24
