The Deer And The Cauldron 24
第二十四回 爱河纵涸须千劫 苦海难量为一慈
Trinket selects His Companions
众侍卫辞去后,韦小宝去见方丈,说道既有皇命,明日便须启程,前赴清凉寺。晦聪方丈道:“自当如此。师弟生具宿慧,妙悟佛义,可惜相聚之日无多,又须分别,未能多有切磋,同参正法,想是缘尽于此。不知师弟要带同哪些僧侣去?”韦小宝道:“般若堂首座澄观师侄是要的,罗汉堂的十八名师侄是要的。”此外又点了十多名和他说得来的僧侣,一共凑齐了三十六名。晦聪并无异言,将这三十六名少林僧召来,说道晦明禅师要去住持五台山清凉寺,叮嘱他们随同前去,护法修持,听由晦明禅师吩咐差遣,不可有违。
As soon as they had gone, Trinket went to see the Abbot to discuss the arrangements for his departure on the following day. It was agreed that he should take the Eighteen Lohans with him, an obvious choice because of their special fighting skills and because they had been to the Pure Coolness Monastery before; and he particularly wanted Brother Simple to accompany him. In addition to these, he chose seventeen other monks whom he had grown familiar with during his stay, making a total of thirty-six in all. Father Wisdom raised no objection to his choice. He had the thirty-six summoned into his presence straight away and gave them a little address in which he explained that they were being transferred to this other monastery and that they must henceforth obey Father Treasure as their new Abbot.
次日一早,韦小宝带同三十六僧,与方丈等告别。来到山下,他独自去看双儿。双儿在民家寄居,和他分别半年有余,乍看之下,惊喜交集,虽早听张康年转告,主人已在少林寺出家,也不知哭过了多少场,这时亲眼见到他光头僧袍,忍不住又哭了出来。韦小宝笑道:“好双儿,你为什么哭?怪我这些日子没来瞧你,是不是?”双儿哭道:“不……不是的。你……你……相公出了家……”韦小宝拉住她右手,提了起来,在她手背上轻轻一吻,笑道:“傻丫头,相公做和尚是假的。”双儿又喜又羞,连耳根子都红了。韦小宝细看她脸,见她容色憔悴,瘦了许多,身子却长高了些,更见婀娜清秀,微笑道:“你为什么瘦了?天天想着我,是不是?”双儿红着脸,想要摇头,却慢慢低下头来。韦小宝道:“好了,你快换了男装,跟我去罢。”双儿大喜,也不多问,当即换上男装,仍是扮作个书僮模样。
After taking leave of Father Wisdom, they set off early next day. Their first stop was in a little village near the foot of the mountain where Doublet had all this time been lodging and where Trinket left his companions for a while to go and see her. He found her much thinner and felt guilty that in all the six months she had been there he had never once visited her. This was the first time she had seen him shaven-headed and wearing his monk’s clothes. The sight made her burst into tears. ‘Why are you crying?’ he asked her. ‘Are you upset because I haven’t been to see you all this time?’ ‘It isn’t that,’ said Doublet, ‘it’s just that you’re . . . you’re a monk now.’ She feared that he would have to stop seeing her and that their life together was now permanently ended. ‘Oh, that’ he said. ‘It’s only pretend.’ Doublet brightened. ‘Come on!’ said Trinket. ‘Get into your boy’s clothes again. You’re coming with me.’ When he rejoined his thirty-six companions, he had a little serving-lad with him.
Father Treasure, Abbot of Pure Coolness Monastery
一行人一路无话,不一日来到五台山下。刚要上山,只见四名僧人迎将上来,当先一名老僧合十问道:“众位是少林寺来的师父吗?”韦小宝点点头。那老僧道:“这一位想必是法名上晦下明的禅师了?”韦小宝又点点头。四僧一齐拜倒,说道:“得知禅师前来住持清凉,众僧侣不胜之喜,已在山下等候多日了。”自澄光回归少林寺,清凉寺由老僧法胜住持。康熙另行差人颁了密旨给法胜,派他去长安慈云寺作住持,一等少林僧来,便即交接。长安慈云寺比清凉寺大得多,法胜甚是欣喜,派了四僧在五台山下迎接。
On their arrival, after several days of travelling, at the foot of the Wutai Mountains, they were met by four monks from the Pure Coolness Monastery, who had been waiting there for some time to welcome them and conduct them up the mountain. The Abbot, Father Aureole, had received his own Secret Edict at about the same time as Trinket got his, informing him that he was being elevated to the abbacy of the Cloud of Compassion Monastery in Chang’an, a larger and more ancient foundation than Pure Coolness, and that his replacement was to be Father Treasure from the Shaolin Monastery, previously known to him as Deputy Intendant Trinket Wei of the Palace Guards. He had therefore had ample time to prepare for the take-over and to arrange for the little welcoming party to be lodged at the foot of the mountain in readiness to meet his successor.
韦小宝等来到清凉寺中,与法胜行了交接之礼。众僧俱来参见。玉林、行痴和行颠三僧却不亲至,只由玉林写了个参见新住持的疏文。法胜次日下山,西去长安,韦小宝便是清凉寺的一寺之主了。好在种种仪节规矩都有澄光等僧随时指点,他小和尚做起方丈来,倒也似模似样,并无差错。那日韦小宝与双儿在清凉寺逐走来犯敌人,救了合寺僧侣性命,众僧都是亲见,这时见他忽然落发出家,又来清凉寺作住持,无不奇怪,但他于本寺有恩,各僧尽皆感服。韦小宝命双儿住在寺外的一间小屋之中,以便一呼即至。
As soon as the hand-over ceremony was completed and Father Treasure installed, Father Aureole called the Pure Coolness monks up one by one and introduced them to their new Abbot. Trinket noticed that Brother Wayward and his two companions were missing from their number. The only indication of their continued presence was a written note from the Venerable Yulin offering his respects. The day after the installation Father Aureole left for Chang’an. Trinket was now in sole charge of the monastery. Though he lacked both dignity and experience, his Shaolin friends were able to guide him through the various rites and ceremonies over which he had to preside, while the Pure Coolness monks, though at first Ending it a little strange that they had been given so juvenile an Abbot, remembered how less than a year before he had saved their lives and were well-disposed towards their little benefactor. With so much help and goodwill, he was able to discharge the duties of his office without any serious hitch.
来清凉寺作住持,首要大事自是保护老皇爷的周全,他询问执事僧,得知玉林、行痴、行颠三僧仍住在后山小庙,当下也不过去打扰,和澄心大师商议后,命人在距小庙半里处的东西南北四方,各结一座茅庐,派八名少林僧轮流在茅庐当值。
The chief of these duties was, of course, to watch over the safety of the Old Emperor. In answer to an enquiry, the Camerar-ius told him that Brother Wayward and his companions, Brother Headlong and the Venerable Yulin, were still living in the little temple where he had left them the previous year. He knew that there was little point in going there to discuss security with the Old Emperor, so, after talking the matter over with Brother Cordial, he gave orders for four thatched huts to be built, one to the north, one to the south, one to the east, and one to the west of the little temple at a distance of about three hundred yards from it, and for eight of the Shaolin Brothers to take turns in doing sentry duty in them all the time.
诸事一定,便苦等张康年和赵齐贤送信来,好知道那绿衫女郎的姓名来历,可是等了数月,竟没丝毫信息,寂寞之时,便和澄观拆解招式,把老和尚当作了“那个女施主”,偶尔溜到双儿的小屋中,跟她说说笑话,摸摸她小手。有时想及:“我服了洪教主的‘豹胎易筋丸’,倘若一年之内不送一部经书去神龙岛,毒性发作起来,可不是玩的,算起来也没剩下几个月了。我如变得又老又蠢,跟澄观师侄一模一样,我那绿衣老婆一见,便叫我‘油嘴滑舌的老和尚’,再在她绿裙上剪下一幅布来,做顶帽子给我戴戴,那可差劲之至了!”
Now that these essentials had been taken care of, there was nothing much left for him to do but wait for the arrival of Zhang and Zhao with information about the Green Girl; but as the months went by and not so much as a word from that quarter was forthcoming, the time weighed heavy on his hands. His only diversions were practice bouts with Brother Simple, in which he would pretend that the adversary against whom he was contending was the ‘young lady’, as the old monk continued to call her, and visits to Doublet, whom he had settled in a little hermitage outside the monastery walls.
这一日,他百无聊赖,独自在五台山到处乱走,心中想的只是那绿衫女郎,行到一条山溪之畔,见一株垂柳在风中不住晃动,心想:“这株柳树若是我那绿衣老婆,老子自然毫不客气,走上前去,一把抱住。她一定不依,使一招昆仑派的‘千岩竞秀’,接连向我拍上几掌。那也没什么大不了,老子便使一招‘沿门托钵’,大大方方的化去。澄观师侄说这一招要使得举重若轻,方显得名门正派武功的风范。老子举轻若轻,举重若重,管他妈的什么名门旁门、正派邪派?这一招发出,跟着便是一招‘智珠在握’,左手抓她左手,右手抓她右手,牢牢擒住,那是杀我的头也不放开了……”
One day when he was feeling particularly bored and frustrated, he had gone off walking on his own. His walk had led him to a pretty spot in the mountains where there was a young willow tree swaying gracefully beside a brook. Suddenly the greenness of the tree made him think of his beloved. ‘Ha!’ he said. ‘If you were really the Green Girl, I’d want to give you a hug. But you wouldn’t like that, would you? I expect you’d try to knock me out with one of those Kunlun-style Thousand Cliff actions that Brother Simple told me about. Then I’d have to parry with a Holding the Bowl. Then you’d—oh, I don’t care! Just kill me, if you like. I can’t resist it!’ And he wrapped his arms round the tree in a passionate embrace.
他想得高兴,手上便一招一式的使出,噗噗两声,双手各自抓住一根柳枝,将吃奶的力气也用了出来,牢牢握住。忽听得一人粗声粗气的道:“你瞧这小和尚在发颠!”韦小宝吃了一惊,抬头看时,见有三个红衣喇嘛,正在向着他指指点点的说笑。韦小宝脸上一红,一时之间,只道自己心事给他们看穿了,堂堂清凉寺的大方丈,却在荒山无人之处,想着要抓住一个美丽姑娘,实在也太丢脸,当即回头便走。转过一条山道,迎面又过来几个喇嘛。五台山上喇嘛庙甚多,韦小宝也不以为意,只是有了适才之事,不愿和他们正面相对,转过了头,假意观赏风景,任由那几名喇嘛从身后走过。只听得一名喇嘛说道:“上头法旨,要咱们无论如何在今日午时之前,赶上五台山,真是急如星火,可是上得山来,什么玩意儿都没有。那不是开玩笑么?”另一名喇嘛道:“上头这样安排,总有道理的。你舍不得大同城里那小娘儿,是不是?”韦小宝听了也不在意,对他们反而心生好感,心道:“这些喇嘛喝酒逛窑子,倒不假正经。老子真要出家,宁可做喇嘛,不做和尚。”回到清凉寺,只见澄通候在山门口,一见到他,立即迎了上来,低声道:“师叔,我看情形有些不大对头。”韦小宝见他脸色郑重,忙问:“怎么?”
He was interrupted by a rude laugh. Whipping round, he saw two red-robed lamas, barely twenty yards from him, laughing and pointing. The Abbot of Pure Coolness Monastery making love to a tree! It was too shaming! Blushing to the tips of his ears he hurried away. A turn in the mountain track brought him in sight of three or four more red-robed lamas. He hurried past them, head averted, pretending to be admiring the view. He was not particularly surprised at seeing the lamas. There were several lamaseries on the Wutai Mountains and hundreds of lamas. It wasn’t until after he had got back and been met at the gate of the monastery by a worried-looking Brother Cordial that the significance of these encounters became apparent. Things don’t look too good, Father,’ said Brother Cordial. ‘Oh?’ said Trinket. ‘What’s the matter?’
澄通招招手,和他沿着石级,走上寺侧的一个小峰。韦小宝一瞥眼间,只见南边一团团的无数黄点,凝神看去,那些黄点原来都是身穿黄衣的喇嘛,没有一千,也有九百,三五成群,分布于树丛山石之间。韦小宝吓了一跳,道:“这许多喇嘛,干什么哪?”澄通向西一指,道:“那边还有。”韦小宝转眼向西,果然也是成千喇嘛,一堆堆的或坐或立。日光自东向西照来,白光闪烁,众喇嘛身上都带着兵刃。韦小宝更是吃惊,道:“他们带着兵刃,莫非……莫非……”眼望澄通。澄通缓缓点头,说道:“师侄猜想,也是如此。”
Beckoning to him to follow, Brother Cordial began climbing the stone steps that led up to a vantage point on the peak beside the monastery. When they were both there, he pointed from one side to the little valley below. Scattered everywhere among the rocks and trees there were yellow blobs which, on looking harder, Trinket identified as little groups of four or five yellow-robed lamas. ‘What—?’ he gasped. ‘Look!’ said Brother Cordial, going over to the other side, ‘there are more of them over here.’ Trinket looked down towards the west. There were at least as many lamas there as well. From time to time, as the sunlight caught them, there were little winking flashes. They were carrying weapons. ‘What do they want?’ said Trinket. ‘You don’t think—?’ Brother Cordial nodded. ‘Brother Wayward. The same as last time.’
韦小宝转向北方、东方望去,每一边都有数百名喇嘛,再细加观看,但见喇嘛群中有些披了深黄袈裟,自是一队队的首领了。韦小宝道:“他奶奶的,至少有四五千人。”澄通道:“一百二十五名首领,一共是三千二百零八十名喇嘛。”韦小宝赞道:“真有你的,数得这么清清楚楚。”澄通道:“那怎么办?”韦小宝无言可答。遇上面对面的难事,撒谎骗人,溜之大吉,自是拿手好戏,现今对方调集三千余众,团团围困,显然一切筹划周详,如何对付,那可半点主意也没有了,听澄通这么问,也问:“那怎么办?”
They walked all round the peak, looking down on every side. The monastery was completely surrounded. Brother Cordial said he had calculated that altogether there must be something like three thousand of them. They’re waiting for darkness,’ he said. ‘We’ve only got a few hours. No time to get help from outside.’ They descended and went inside the monastery. ‘So,’ said Brother Cordial. ‘What are we going to do?’ Trinket hadn’t the faintest idea.
澄通道:“瞧对方之意,自是想掳劫行痴大师,多半要等到晚间,四方合围进攻。”韦小宝道:“干么现下不进攻?”澄通道:“五台山上,喇嘛的黄庙和咱们中原释氏的青庙向来和好。咱们青庙庙多僧多,台顶十大庙,台外十大庙。黄庙的喇嘛虽然霸道,却也不敢欺压。倘若日间明攻,势必引起各青庙的声援。”韦小宝道:“那么咱们立刻派人出去,通知各青庙的住持,请他们大派和尚,大伙儿跟众喇嘛决一死战,有分教:五台山和尚鏖兵,青庙僧大战喇嘛。”
澄通摇头道:“五台山各青庙中的僧人,十之八九不会武功,就是会武的,功夫也都平平,没听说有什么好手。”韦小宝道:“那么他们是不肯来援手的了?”澄通道:“赴援的也不会没有,只怕是徒然送了性命而已。”韦小宝道:“难道咱们就此投降?”他斗志向来不坚,打不过就想投降。澄通道:“咱们投降不打紧,行痴大师势必给他们掳了去。”韦小宝寻思:“行痴大师的身份,不知少林群僧是否知悉。”问道:“他们大举前来掳劫行痴大师,到底是什么用意?数月之前就曾来过一次,幸得众位好朋友将他们吓退。这一次来的人数却多得多了。”澄通沉吟道:“行痴大师定是大有来历之人,不是牵涉到中原武林的兴衰,便与青庙黄庙之争有重大关连。此中原由,澄心师兄没说起过。师叔既然不知,我们更加不知道了。”
韦小宝想起身上怀有皇帝亲笔御札,可以调遣文武官员,说道:“眼下事情紧急,我们少林僧武功虽高,可是寡不敌众,三十七个和尚,怎敌得过他三千多名喇嘛?我须得立刻下山求救。”澄通道:“只怕远水救不着近火。”韦小宝道:“那么咱们护送行痴大师,冲了出去。”澄通点头道:“看来只有这个法子。咱们三十七名少林僧,再加上师叔的僮儿,要抵挡三千多名喇嘛,那是万万不能,但要从空隙中冲出,却也不是什么难事。”韦小宝道:“就只怕行痴大师和他师父玉林大师不肯,他们说生死都是一般,逃不逃也没什么分别。”澄通皱眉道:“这就须请师叔劝上一劝。”韦小宝摇头道:“劝服行痴大师,还有法子,要劝那玉林老和尚,老子可是服输啦,这叫做老鼠拉乌龟,没下嘴的地方。”向下望去,只见一群群喇嘛散坐各处,似乎杂乱无章,却又分布均匀,上山下山的通道上更是人数众多,眼见天色一黑,这三千喇嘛一涌而上,清凉寺中的和尚只有大叫“我佛慈悲”的份儿,心想:“他妈的,老子做什么和尚,倘若做了喇嘛,这当儿岂不是得意洋洋,用不着担半点心事?平时吃肉逛窑子,还不算在内。”
一想到“逛窑子”三字,脑海中灵光一闪,已有计较,当下不动声色,说道:“我回禅房去睡他妈的一觉。”澄通愕然,瞪目而视。韦小宝不再理他,径自下峰,回寺入房。过不多时,澄心、澄观、澄光、澄通四僧齐来求见。韦小宝让四人入房,眼见各人脸有惊惶之色,他伸个懒腰,打个呵欠,懒洋洋的问道:“各位有什么事?”
‘Tamardy!’ he said. ‘I know what ,”,’,’ do. I’ll go and have a nap.’ Brother Cordial’s jaw fell and he stared at his little Abbot uncomprehendingly. But Trinket ignored him and strode off to his cell to lie down and think. Within less than half an hour a little deputation consisting of Brother Cordial, Brother Simple, and two other of the Eighteen Lohans were knocking at his door and asking to speak with him. Trinket sat up, gave a big yawn, and asked them what they wanted.
Lamas at the Gate
澄心道:“山下喇嘛聚集,显将不利本寺,愿闻方丈师叔应付之策。”韦小宝道:“我想了半天,想不出什么好主意,只好睡觉了。大伙儿在劫难逃,只好逆来顺受,刀来颈受,人家一刀砍来,用脖子去顶他一顶,且看那刀子是否锋利,砍不砍得进去。”澄心等三僧知道他是信口胡扯,澄观却信以为真,说道:“众喇嘛这些刀子看来甚是锋利,我们的脖子是抵不住的。师叔,出家人与世无争,逆来顺受,倒是不错。但刀来颈受,未免过分。当年达摩祖师,也没教人只挨刀子不反抗,否则的话,大家也不用学武了。”韦小宝点头道:“依澄观师侄之见,刀来颈受是不行的?”澄观道:“不行。但如拳来胸受,脚来腹受,倒还可以。”他内功深湛,对方向他拳打足踢,也可不加抵挡,只须运起内功,自可将人拳脚反弹出去。韦小宝道:“那些喇嘛都带了戒刀禅杖,不知有什么法子,能开导得他们不用兵刃?”澄观一呆,道:“这些喇嘛只怕不可理喻,要他们放下屠刀,似乎非一朝一夕之功。”韦小宝道:“这就难了,不知四位师侄,有什么妙计?”
‘Father Abbot,’ said Brother Cordial, speaking for the others, ‘those lamas who have gathered down below obviously intend no good to our monastery. The Brothers want to know what you are planning to do about it.’ ‘I thought about it a lot, but I couldn’t come up with any plan,’ said Trinket, ‘so I decided to have a bit of a nap. “The calamity from which there is no escape has come upon us. We must except reversity with meekness and remit our throats to the knife.”‘ (He was trying, not altogether successfully, to remember some words from a Sutra.) Even Brother Simple was not convinced that this was the best answer to their predicament. Trinket eyed Brother Cordial and asked him if he had a better idea.
澄心道:“为今之计,只有大伙儿保了玉林、行痴、行颠三位,乘隙冲出。他们旨在掳劫行痴大师,寺中其余僧侣不会武功,谅这些喇嘛也不会加害。”韦小宝道:“好,咱们去跟那三位老和尚说去。”当下率领了四僧,来到后山小庙。
‘We could try to break out with Brother Wayward and the other two when it’s dark and smuggle them through their lines somehow under cover of darkness,’ said Brother Cordial. ‘I don’t think they intend any harm to the other monks.’ ‘All right,’ said Trinket. ‘Let’s see if we can sell this to the Venerable.’ The five of them made their way to the little temple.
小沙弥通报进去,玉林等听得住持到来,出门迎迓。一见之下,玉林、行痴、行颠都是大为错愕。三僧只听说新住持晦明禅师是少林寺晦聪方丈的师弟,是一位年纪甚轻的高僧,不料竟然是他。玉林和行痴登时便即明白,那是出于皇帝的安排,用意是在保护父亲。释家规矩甚严,住持是一庙之主,玉林等以礼参见。韦小宝恭谨还礼,一同进了禅房。玉林请他在中间的蒲团坐下,余人两旁侍立。韦小宝心中大乐:“老子中间安坐,老皇爷站在旁边侍候,就是小皇帝也没这般威风。”强忍笑容,说道:“玉林大师、行痴大师,两位请坐。”玉林和行痴坐了。
A young novice who attended to the needs of the three senior monks ran inside to announce them. The Venerable Yulin had been told only that the new Abbot was a young monk from the Shaolin Monastery but had no idea of his identity. Seeing now, for the first time, that it was Trinket, he and the other two at once guessed that his presence in the monastery must be part of some plan of the Young Emperor’s to protect his father. After exchanging greetings, Yulin made Trinket sit on the central prayer-mat while he and Brother Wayward stood respectfully on either side of him. Reflecting that he was being waited on by an ex-Emperor and that even Kang Xi could not be seated in the presence of his own father, Trinket had some difficulty in suppressing a smirk of satisfaction as he invited them both to sit down.
玉林说道:“方丈大师住持清凉,小僧等未来参谒,有劳方丈大驾亲降,甚是不安。”韦小宝道:“好说。小衲知道三位不喜旁人打扰,因此一直没来看你们。若不是今日发生了一件大事,小衲还是不会来的。”他常听老和尚自己谦称“老衲”,心想自己年纪小,便自称“小衲”。众僧听他异想天开,杜撰了一个称呼出来,不觉暗暗好笑。玉林道:“是。”却不问是何大事。韦小宝道:“澄光师侄,请你给三位说说。”玉林知道新住持法名“晦明”,也知少林寺“晦”字辈比“澄”字辈高了一辈,但眼见这小和尚油头滑脑,却对这位本寺前任住持、庄严慈祥的有德老僧口称“师侄”,还是心下一怔。澄光恭恭敬敬的应了,便将寺周有数千喇嘛重重围困等情说了。
‘Father Abbot,’ said Yulin when they had done so, ‘I should have called on you after your installation. It seems wrong that you should now feel obliged to call on me.’ That’s all right,’ said Trinket cheerfully. ‘I know you don’t like being disturbed. I wouldn’t have come now if there hadn’t been an emergency.’ Yulin didn’t ask him what the emergency was. ‘Brother Cordial,’ said Trinket, ‘will you explain the situation to these reverend Brothers?’ Brother Cordial proceeded to explain, in grave and respectful terms, that they were being besieged by a couple of thousand lamas, whose object, he believed, and the Father Abbot had seemed at first to agree with him, was the kidnapping of Brother Wayward.
玉林闭目沉思半晌,睁开眼来,说道:“请问方丈大师,如何应付。”韦小宝道:“这些喇嘛僧在本寺周围或坐或立,只是观赏风景,别无他意。这里风景清雅,他们来游山玩水,也是有的。”行颠忍不住道:“倘若是观赏风景,不会将本寺团团围住,好几个时辰不去。他们定是想来捉了行痴师兄去。”韦小宝道:“小衲心想天下青庙黄庙,都是我佛座下的释氏弟子,他们如要请行痴大师去,也必是仰慕三位大师佛法深湛,请你们去喇嘛庙讲经说法。说不定众喇嘛仰慕我中土佛法,大家不做喇嘛,改做和尚,那也是极好的机缘。”行颠连连摇头,不以为然,说道:“未必,未必。”澄观道:“方丈师叔,那么他们为什么都带了兵器呢?”韦小宝合十道:“他们带了禅杖戒刀,声势汹汹,或许真是想杀本寺僧侣之头。佛曰:‘我不入地狱,谁入地狱?’我们自当刀来颈受,这叫做我不给人杀头,谁给人杀头?不生不灭,不垢不净。有生故有灭,有头故有杀。佛有三德:大定、大智、大悲。众喇嘛持刀而来,我们不闻不见,不观不识,是为大定;他们举刀欲砍,我们当他刀即是空,空即是刀,是为大智;一刀刀将我们的光头都砍将下来,大家呜呼哀哉,是为大悲。”他在寺中日久,听了不少佛经中的言语,便信口胡扯一番。澄观道:“方丈师叔,这大悲的悲字,恐怕是慈悲的悲,不是悲哀之悲。”
韦小宝微笑道:“师侄也说得是,想我佛割肉喂鹰,舍身饲虎,实是大慈大悲之至。那些喇嘛虽然凶顽,比之恶鹰猛虎,总究会好些,那么我们舍身以如恶喇嘛之愿,也是大慈大悲之心。”澄观合十道:“师叔妙慧,令人敬服。”韦小宝道:“昔日玉林大师曾有言道:‘出家人与世无争,逆来顺受。清凉寺倘然真有祸殃,那也是在劫难逃。’我们一齐在恶喇嘛刀下圆寂,同赴西方极乐世界,一路甚是热闹,倒也有趣得紧。”众僧面面相觑,均想韦小宝的话虽也言之成理,毕竟太过迂腐,恐怕是错解了佛法。澄心、澄通又觉这些言语与他平素为人全然不合,料想他说的是反话,多半是要激得玉林与行痴自行出言求救。只有澄观一人信之不疑,欢喜赞叹。
Yulin closed his eyes and appeared to be meditating. After a minute or two he opened them again and spoke. ‘And what are you proposing to do about this, Father Abbot?’ ‘Our Lord Buddha said: “If ,’ don’t go to hell, who will?'” Trinket replied, ransacking his memory for a few more scraps of sutra. ‘We should prepare to offer our necks to the sword. In other words, if we don’t have our heads cut off, who will? If there was no life there’d be no death, and if there was no dust there’d be no spick and span. And vicey versy. The sword is a void. And the void is a sword. Let us offer our necks to thdr swords in that spirit. Therein lies wisdom. In the beginning was the Void. I mean, the Word. I mean, the Sword. Here endeth the first lesson.’ The Venerable Yulin said nothing. Brother Simple was impressed. The other three Shaolin monks, though decidedly impressed, were beginning to suspect that Trinket was up to something. Brother Headlong, old warrior and former Captain of the Guard, was very nearly exploding.
众僧默然半晌。行颠突然大声道:“师父曾说,西藏喇嘛要捉了师兄去,乃是想虐害万民,要占咱们这花花世界。咱们自己的生死不打紧,千千万万百姓都受他们欺侮压迫,岂不是大大的罪业?师父曾道,咱们决不能任由他们如此胡作非为。”韦小宝点头道:“师兄这番话很是有理,比之小衲所见,又高了一层。只是眼下喇嘛势大,咱们只怕寡不敌众。”行颠道:“我们保护了师父师兄,冲将出去,料想恶喇嘛也挡不住。”韦小宝道:“就恐怕争斗一起,不免要杀伤众喇嘛的性命。阿弥陀佛,我佛有释家诸戒,首戒杀生。这便如何是好?”行颠道:“是他们要来杀人,我们迫不得已,但求自保。能够不杀人,当然最好,可也不能眼睁睁的束手待毙。”
After some moments of silence he could restrain himself no longer. ‘Father Abbot,’ he blurted out, ‘you’ve said yourself that you think these lamas have come here to kidnap Brother Wayward. And you know as well as I do that if the Tibetans and their friends can get hold of Brother Wayward they will use him to oppress our people. Maybe our lives are unimportant, but what about the millions of Chinese who will be oppressed? What about their lives?’ ‘You’re right,’ said Trinket. ‘But there are thousands of these lamas. There’s nothing much we can do to stop them.’ ‘We could try a break-out,’ said Brother Headlong. ‘If we put Brother Wayward and the Venerable in the middle of us so they didn’t get hurt, we might be able to get through their lines to a place of safety.’ ‘Wouldn’t that mean killing a lot of lamas?’ said Trinket. ‘Amida Buddha! We’re supposed to save life, not take it. The Lord Buddha says, “It is better to save one life than to build a seven-storey pagoda.” I don’t know how many pagodas we’d be pulling down by fighting our way out!’
忽然门外脚步声响,少林僧澄觉快步进来,说道:“启禀方丈师叔,山下众喇嘛刚才一齐上山,又逼近了约莫一百丈,停了下来。”韦小宝道:“为什么上了一段路,却又停下?恐怕是忽受我佛感化,生了悔悟之心,明白了回头是岸的道理。”行颠大声道:“不是的,不是的,他们只待天一黑,便一鼓作气,冲进来了。”他昔年是正黄旗大将,进关时身经百战,深知行军打仗之法,后来才做顺治的御前侍卫总管。韦小宝道:“待他们一进本寺大雄宝殿,见到我佛如来的庄严宝相,忽然悬……悬什么勒马,也是有的。”行颠怒道:“你这位小方丈,实在胡……胡……唉,不会的。”他本想说“实在胡涂”,总算想到不可对方丈无礼,话到口边,忽然悬崖勒马。玉林一直默不作声,听着众人辩论,眼见行颠额头青筋迸现,说话越来越大声,微微一笑,说道:“行颠,你自己才实在胡涂。方丈大师早已智珠在握,成竹在胸,你又何必多所忧虑?”行颠一怔,道:“啊,原来方丈大师早有妙策。”韦小宝愁眉苦脸,说道:“我妙策是没有。三十六计,走为上计,大家既然都说冲出去的好,那么咱们就冲出去罢!只不过若非迫不得已,千万不可多伤人命。”行颠和澄心一齐称是。韦小宝道:“那么大家收拾收拾,一等天黑,他们还没动手,咱们先冲了下去。向东冲到阜平县县城,这些喇嘛再恶,总不敢公然来攻打县城。”行颠等又都称善。行痴忽然说道:“我是不祥之身,上次已为我伤了不少性命。就算这次逃过了厄难,他们仍然死心不息。多造杀业,终无已时。”行颠道:“师兄,这些恶喇嘛想将你绑架了去,残害天下百姓。”行痴叹道:“我是世间祸胎,等得他们到来,我当众自焚其身,让他们从此死了这条心,也就是了。”行颠急道:“皇……皇……不,师兄,那是万万不可,我代你焚身便是。”行痴微微一笑,道:“你代我焚身,有何用处?他们只是要捉了我去,有所挟制而已。”
Just then there was a sound of running and one of the Shaolin monks burst in on them. ‘Father Abbot, during this past half-hour the lamas have been moving up on us. They’ve stopped about three hundred yards below. We’re completely surrounded.’ ‘Did you say they’ve stopped?’ said Trinket. ‘A miracle! They must have repented of their wickedness. Praised be His Holy Name!’ ‘No, you little—no, Father!’ Brother Headlong bellowed. They’re waiting for the darkness. As soon as it’s dark, they’ll move in for the kill.’ ‘All right,’ said Trinket. ‘You all seem to think that breaking out is our only hope. Let’s try to break out, then.’ ‘No!’ It was the first time Brother Wayward had spoken. ‘I can’t allow any more lives to be lost on my account. Many were lost last time, when they made their first attempt. Even if we could get out now, there would be more attempts later. These people will not give up. I have decided what to do. When the lamas come, I shall set fire to myself. Whatever plans they may have for using my person in order to oppress others will have to be abandoned when they see me burned to ashes before their eyes. Besides, in fighting and massacres and the sacking of cities, my people have done untold evil in this land. Perhaps today, by burning myself, I can atone for some of it.’
众僧默然半晌。玉林道:“善哉,善哉!行痴已悟大道,这才是佛说‘我不入地狱,谁入地狱’的真义。”韦小宝心中骂道:“臭和尚,他说的是真义,我说的便是假义了?”玉林又道:“待会众喇嘛到来,老衲和行痴一同焚身,方丈大师和众位师兄不可阻拦。”韦小宝和众僧面面相觑,尽皆骇然。行痴缓缓道:“昔日攻城掠地,生灵涂炭,小僧早已百死莫赎。今日得为黎民舍身,亦不过以偿当年罪业之万一。倘若再因小僧而争斗不息,多伤人命,那更增我的罪业了。我意已决,还请各位护持,成此因缘。若能由此而感化众位喇嘛,去恶向善,更是一件好事。”说着站起身来,向韦小宝及少林五僧合十躬身。
‘Oh blessed words! Shanzail Shanzail’ said the Venerable Yulin. ‘Our brother has seen the light. That is what our Lord Buddha meant when he said, “If ,’ go not into hell for them, who will go?”‘ (This time the Sutra was quoted correctly.) ‘In a little while, when the lamas arrive, Brother Wayward and I will burn ourselves together. You and the Brothers, Father Abbot, must not do anything to stop us.’ ‘Silly old bugger!’ thought Trinket, but managed to remain silent. Brother Wayward rose to his feet and addressed Trinket and the five Shaolin monks entreatingly. ‘I am quite resolved. This is a work of merit, you understand. You must all of you help me to carry it out successfully,’ He joined his palms and bowed.
澄心等见他神色,显是心意甚坚,难以进言,只得辞出,回到文殊殿中。韦小宝招集三十六名少林僧,说知此事。众僧都道,两位大师要自焚消业,那是万万不可,事到临头,只好以武力阻止。韦小宝道:“大家都要保护三位大师周全,是不是?”众僧齐道:“是!”韦小宝道:“那也不难。大家听我的话。你们三十六位,现下冲出寺去,齐攻东路,装作向山下突围,可是难以成功,又退回寺中,不过须得顺手牵羊,擒拿四五十名喇嘛上来。”澄心道:‘方丈之意,是否将这些喇嘛作为人质,使得他们不敢轻举妄动?若是如此,那么所擒拿的位份越高越好。”韦小宝道:“要擒拿大喇嘛恐怕不容易,不免多有杀伤,咱们只须捉来几十个小喇嘛也就够了。”众僧不明他用意,但方丈有命,便都奉令出寺。过不多时,只听得山腰里喊声大作,韦小宝站在鼓楼上观看,见三十六名少林僧冲入喇嘛群中,刀光闪动,打了起来。
It was obvious that nothing they could say would make him change his mind, so they took their leave and went back to the monastery. Entering the Manjusri Hall with the five brothers, Trinket found Doublet waiting for him, half-hidden in a corner. From her little hermitage she had witnessed the warlike movements on the mountainside and sensed that her master might soon have need of her. He summoned the rest of the Shaolin monks to the hall and explained the situation to them. All of them agreed that it was quite out of the question that Brother Wayward should be allowed to carry out his resolve, but none could think of a way of stopping him. ‘I’ve thought of a way,’ said Trinket, ‘but it will only work if you all do exactly as I say. First of all I want all thirty-six of you to pretend you’re attempting a break-out. I want you to take the east track as if you’re going down the mountain, fight for a bit when the lamas try to stop you, then pretend you’ve decided that it’s hopeless and retreat back to the monastery. Make sure they know that you’re doing this. Lots of shouting. But—and this is the important bit—while you’re doing it, I want you to take some prisoners. If possible I’d like about forty prisoners. Any lamas will do: they don’t have to be leaders or anything.’
这三十六名僧人都是少林寺高手,寻常喇嘛自然不是敌手,冲出数十丈后,挡路的喇嘛愈聚愈多。澄心等拳打足踢,掌劈指戳,顷刻间打倒了数十人。澄心高声叫道:“敌人势大,冲不出去,暂且回寺,再作道理。”他内力深厚,这几句呼声远远传了出去,山谷鸣响。澄通也纵声叫道:“冲不出去,如何是好?”澄心叫道:“大家捉些喇嘛回去,教他们有所顾忌,不敢胡乱害人。”众僧或双手各抓一名喇嘛,或肩上扛了一名,转身入寺。澄心与澄光断后,又点倒数人。但听得喇嘛阵后有人以藏语传令。众喇嘛呐喊叫骂,却不追来。韦小宝笑嘻嘻的在寺门前迎接,一点人数,擒来了四十七名喇嘛。回到文殊殿中,韦小宝道:“把这些家伙全身衣服剥光了,每人点上十八道穴,都去锁在后园柴房之中。”众僧均觉方丈这道法谕高深莫测,当下将四十七喇嘛都剥得赤条条地,身上加点穴道,锁入柴房。
The thirty-six had no idea what the point of this could be, but, with that unquestioning obedience that a monk owes his superiors, they set about carrying out his orders straight away. Trinket went up to the drum-tower to watch them skirmishing. After a few minutes he heard Brother Cordial shouting above the din: ‘It’s hopeless, we’ll never get through this lot. Fall back to the monastery, everybody!’ His cry was taken up and passed on by the others. The convincing ring of despair in these shouted orders seemed to have fooled the lamas, for they did not bother to pursue the retreating monks as far as the monastery gate, confident, no doubt, that if they waited a bit, the whole community would soon be in their hands. Trinket hurried down to the gate to let the monks in. Incredibly, they had taken a total of forty-seven prisoners. Trinket had the captive lamas brought into the Manjusri Hall, deprived of their clothes, and immobilized by expert handling of their points. Then the forty-seven naked men, unable to move head or hand, were herded into the fuel store and padlocked in.
韦小宝合十说道:“世间诸色相,皆空皆无,无我无人,无和尚无喇嘛。空即是色,色即是空。和尚即喇嘛,喇嘛即和尚。诸位师侄,大家脱下袈裟,穿上喇嘛的袍子罢!”众僧尽皆愕然,面面相觑。韦小宝大声叫道:“双儿,你过来,帮我扮小喇嘛。”双儿一直候在殿外,当即进殿,检了一件最小的喇嘛袍子,助他换上。韦小宝身材矮小,穿了仍是太大,便拔出匕首,将袍子下和衣袖都割了一截,腰间束上衣带,勉强将就,带上喇嘛冠,宛然便是个小喇嘛,对双儿道:“你也扮个小喇嘛。”澄光问道:“师叔改穿喇嘛服色,不知是何用意?”澄观道:“咱们向喇嘛投降,改归黄教吗?”韦小宝道:“非也!大家扮作喇嘛,涌到后边小庙,将玉林、行痴、行颠三个和尚捉住,点了他们穴道,再将他们再上喇嘛衣衫……”澄通听到这里,鼓掌笑道:“妙计,妙计!咱们几十个假喇嘛黑夜中向山下冲去,众喇嘛难分真假,那就难以阻拦了。”众僧一齐称善,登时笑逐颜开。他们自然谁都不知,韦小宝这条妙计,不过是师法当日假扮妓女,得脱大难的故智。
‘Now, this is where Zen monks transform themselves into lamas,’ said Trinket. He made the thirty-six Shaolin monks strip off and change into the robes that had been discarded by their captives. He picked the smallest robe for himself and got Doublet to help him into it, but it was still much too big for him and he had to cut several inches off the sleeves and the bottom of the skirt with his dagger. ‘You’ve got to be a lama too,’ he told Doublet. The robe she put on needed more of the same rough tailoring. ‘Now this is the plan,’ he said, when all of them had finished dressing up and found hats that would fit their heads. ‘We’re going to raid the little temple and capture Yulin and Wayward and Headlong ourselves. We’ll close their points, dress them up as lamas with these spare outfits, then, as soon as the real lamas start running about, get them down the mountain and out of danger.’
澄心道:“如此冲将出去,不须多所杀伤,最是上策。”澄光踌躇道:“只不过冒犯了行痴大师他们三位,未免不敬。”韦小宝道:“阿弥陀佛,救了三命,胜造三七二十一级浮屠。小小冒犯,胜于烈火焚身。”澄光道:“师叔说得是。”当下众僧一齐脱下僧袍,换上喇嘛衣衫。众僧平生谨读戒律,端严庄重,这时却跟着韦小宝做此胡闹之事,眼见穿上喇嘛衣衫之后形相古怪,人人忍不住好笑。韦小宝道:“各人把僧袍包了,带在身上,脱困后再行换过。冲下山后,倘若失散,齐到阜平县吉祥寺会齐。”命双儿收拾了银两物事,包作一包,负在背上。堪堪等到天色将黑,韦小宝道:“大家在脸上涂些香灰尘土,每人手中提一桶水,这就动手罢!”众僧听了法谕,皆大欢喜,信受奉行,当下捧土抹脸,提了水桶兵刃齐向山后奔去。来到小庙之外,众僧唏哩花拉,高声呐喊,向庙中冲去。
‘Brilliant!’ said Brother Cordial. This way there needn’t be any killing.’ ‘Wrap your monk’s clothes up in a bundle and carry them with you,’ said Trinket. ‘You’ll be needing them again later.’ While they were doing this, he got Doublet to go to his cell and make up a little parcel of his money and a few valuables that he could keep about him. The next thing he asked the Shaolin monks to do was to provide themselves, each one of them, with a bucket of water and to smear ash over their faces. Then they had to sit down and wait for it to get dark. As soon as Trinket judged that it was dark enough, he and his party of pseudo-lamas left the monastery and, keeping to the foot of the walls as much as possible, stealthily made their way to the little temple.
玉林、行痴、行颠三人已决意自焚,在院子中堆了柴草,身上浇满了香油,只待众喇嘛攻到,向他们说明舍身自焚用意,便即点火,哪知众喇嘛说来便来,事先竟没半分征兆,待听得“呜噜呜噜,花差花差”似藏语非藏语的怪声大作,数十名喇嘛已冲进庙来。玉林朗声道:“众位稍待,老衲有几句话说……”蓦地里当头一桶冷水浇将下来,跟着数十桶冷水泼到三人身上。这一下迅雷不及掩耳,别说三人来不及点火自焚,就算已经点着了,也被立时浇熄。
In the temple’s tiny courtyard the Venerable Yulin, Brother Wayward, and Brother Headlong were sitting side by side on a hastily constructed pyre of straw and faggots, impassively waiting for the kidnappers to arrive. They had previously drenched their clothes and the faggots with cooking-oil and placed the means of igniting themselves within easy reach. As soon as the lamas came, the Venerable Yulin planned to make a brief address explaining the purpose of what they were doing, then the flames would leap up and a load of evil karma would vanish in smoke. Unfortunately for this plan, the pseudo-lamas’ assault was too sudden for even a short address to be possible. They had not dared to risk making a noise as they approached the temple for fear of alerting the real lamas below. It was only when these robed and hatted figures were actually entering the courtyard that they began, in a language which, by a stretch of the imagination, might conceivably have been Tibetan, to shout and jabber. Whether or not the pyre was ignited in those few seconds could have made little difference, since just at that moment thirty-eight buckets of water were simultaneously discharged on the seated figures.
双儿纵身过去,先点了行颠穴道,行痴不会武功,玉林武功不弱,却不愿出手抗御,混乱中都被点了穴道。众僧七手八脚,脱下三人僧袍,将喇嘛袍服套在三人身上。韦小宝有心有说杜撰藏话,生怕给玉林听出口音,只好忍住,向双儿一努嘴,双儿取过烛台,便将院中堆着的柴烧了起来。韦小宝见行颠黄金杵放在殿角,想取了带走,为料金杵沉重,竟然提之不动,澄通伸手抓起。韦小宝一挥,众僧将行痴等三僧拥在中间,向东冲下山来。只奔出数十丈,小庙中黑烟与火光冲逃邙起,这大堆柴草上早已淋满了香油,极易着火。山腰间众喇嘛见到火起,大声惊叫,登时四下大乱。领头的喇嘛派人上来救火。火把光下见到韦小宝等众僧,都道是自己人,混乱之中,又有谁来盘问阻挡?众僧来到山下,已将大队喇嘛抛在路后,回头向山上望去,但见火光烛天,那座小庙已烧穿了顶。澄通道:“这座小庙一烧,他们又找不到行痴大师,只道他已烧死在小庙之中,就此死了这条心,再也不来滋扰,倒是一件好事。”
Dependable Doublet at once darted up to the biggest of them, Brother Headlong, and immobilized him with a few expert jabs. The other two offered no resistance: Brother Wayward because he was incapable of doing so, the Venerable Yulin because he elected not to. Many hands drew off the monks’ dripping habits and replaced them with lama habiliments. Then, stopping only to collect Brother Head-long’s cudgels and set a light to the pyre, they hustled the three new-made lamas out of the temple and into the darkness outside. Despite the water that had been thrown on it, the oil-drenched fuel caught rapidly, and by the time they had gone no more than a hundred paces, the flames and smoke could be seen rising, high above the walls of the temple. The lamas too had seen the fire, to judge from the hubbub below, and presently a large body of them came rushing uphill, torches in hand, presumably to put it out. Trinket and his party were clearly visible to them in the light of the flaming torches, but because of their lama costume, went unremarked. They’ll never put that out,’ said Brother Cordial, ‘and when they don’t find Brother Wayward, they’ll think he’s burned himself. They shouldn’t give us any more trouble after this.’
澄光点头道:“师弟之言有理。”韦小宝命澄观瘵行痴等三人身上穴道解了,说道:“多有得罪,还请莫怪。”行痴等刚才穴道被点,动弹不得,耳目却是无碍,见到经过情形,早明白是少林僧设法相救。行颠大声喝彩,说道:“妙计,妙计!大伙儿轻轻易轻便逃了出来。方丈大师,你是救我的性命,多谢你还来不及,谁来怪你?”行痴决意焚身消业,行颠忠心耿耿,只好陪着殉生,但心中毕竟是不愿就此便死,此时得脱大难,自是欢喜之极。行痴微笑道:“不伤一人而化解此事,的是难能可贵。”
Thanks to the disarray which the fire appeared to have created, they had little difficulty in getting down the mountain. Once they had left the lamas well behind, Trinket asked Brother Simple to open the points of their three captors and apologized to them for the rough and unmannerly treatment to which they had been subjected. Brother Headlong would have burned himself out of loyalty, but had not really wanted to die; moreover, as an old soldier, he was impressed by the ingenuity of Trinket’s plan of rescue. His response was therefore a warm one. The Old Emperor had been determined to die, but generously praised Trinket for rescuing him in a way which had involved no loss of life. The Venerable Yulin said nothing. Probably he regarded being burned and being rescued with equal equanimity.
忽听得迎面山道上脚步声响,大队人群快步奔来。澄通道:“师叔,有大批喇嘛杀过来了。”韦小宝道:“咱们冲向前去,嘴巴叽哩咕噜一番,见到他们时脸上露出笑容,伸手向山上指去,总之不可与他们动手。”众僧一齐遵命,连行痴和玉林也都点头。韦小宝心中大乐:“老皇爷听我号令,老皇爷的师父也听我号令。”众僧将行痴护在中间,沿大道奔去。只见山坳冲出一股人来,手执灯笼火把,却不是喇嘛,都是朝山进香的香客,颈中挂了黄布袋,袋上写着“虔诚进香”等等大字。一众少林僧奔到近处,均是一呆,澄通等早已住口,澄观等头脑不大灵敏,却还在乱叫“杜撰藏语”。香客中走出一名汉子,大声喝道:“你们干什么的?”这人身材魁梧,声音洪亮。
Just at that moment there was another hubbub ahead of them and they became aware of a large body of people hurrying in their direction. ‘Another lot of lamas, I’m afraid,’ said Brother Cordial. ‘We mustn’t run away, we must run towards them,’ said Trinket. ‘Look as if we’re glad to see them. Smile. Jibber-jabber a bit and point back up the mountain.’ It was good advice, but fortunately not needed. The party ahead turned out to be a party of pilgrims, all wearing yellow cloth bags round their necks with the words ON PILGRIMAGE printed or embroidered on them in large characters. The leader of the pilgrims, a big fellow, stepped forward. ‘What are you lot up to?’ he shouted, in a far from friendly manner.
韦小宝一见大喜,认得他是御前侍卫总管多隆,当即奔上,叫道:“多大哥,你瞧小弟是谁?”多隆一怔,从身旁一人手中接过灯笼,移到他面前一照。韦小宝向他挤眉弄眼,哈哈大笑。多隆惊喜交集道:“是……是韦兄弟,你……你怎么在这里?又扮作个小喇嘛模样?”韦小宝笑道:“你又怎么到了这里?”说话之间,多隆身后又有一群香客赶到,带头的香客却是赵齐贤。韦小宝一看,这些香客都是御前侍卫所扮,其中倒有一大半相识,众侍卫围了上来,嘻嘻哈哈的十分亲热。韦小宝低声问多隆道:“皇上派你们来的?”多隆低声道:“皇上和太后到五台山来了,现下在灵境寺中。”韦小宝惊喜交集,道:“皇上到五台山来了?那好极了!好极了!”心想:“那老婊子也来干什么?老皇爷恨不得杀了她。”
Under the pilgrim disguise Trinket had no difficulty in recognizing Dolong, Colonel of the Palace Guards. The unfriendliness, he realized, was due to the fact that he was himself disguised. ‘Dolong, my friend,’ he cried, ‘don’t you recognize me?’ Dolong grabbed a torch from a nearby pilgrim and held it in Trinket’s face. He burst out laughing. ‘Well I’m damned! It’s young Wei. What are you doing here? And why are you dressed up like a lama?’ Trinket couldn’t tell him much, but Dolong didn’t press him. The ‘pilgrims’ gathered round, laughing and chattering. Soon Trinket was surrounded by what appeared to be, as far as he could make out, an entire company of Palace Guards in disguise. There were many of them that he recognized: Zhao Qixian, for example, who was supposed to be getting news of the Green Girl for him. ‘So has the Emperor sent you?’ he asked Dolong. The Emperor’s here,’ said Dolong. ‘Both Their Majesties, the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. They’ve come to Wutai to make offerings at all the main shrines. Right now they’re at the Holy Precinct Monastery. It’s not only us, by the way. The Valiants are here as well, and the Vanguards. Altogether there must be well over thirty thousand men.’ ‘So the Emperor’s here,’ said Trinket. That’s great!’ ‘But what’s the Old Whore doing here?’ he wondered.
不多时又到了一批骁骑营的军官士兵,也都扮作香客。韦小宝问:“除了御前侍卫之外,骁骑营、前锋营、护军营也都随驾来此。”韦小宝道:“那怕不有三四万官兵?”多隆道:“一共是三万四千多人。”韦小宝笑道:“护驾诸营的总管是谁?”多隆道:“是康亲王。”韦小宝笑道:“那也是老朋友了。”向赵齐贤招手,等他走近,说道:“赵大哥,请你去禀报康亲王,我要调动人马,办一件大事,事情紧急,来不及向他请示了。”
Just at that moment Colonel Chalju of the Valiants arrived, also disguised, and was pleasantly surprised to find that the young lama talking to Dolong was Lieutenant-Colonel Wei, who for a while had been his Second-in-Command. Trinket took the opportunity of explaining the situation to the two officers, though taking care to say nothing about the Old Emperor, of whose very existence they were, of course, like everyone else, unaware. There are about three thousand Tibetan lamas up there,’ he said, pointing to the mountain. They must have heard about the Emperor’s arrival and be planning some mischief against him. They seem to be under the impression that it’s the Pure Coolness Monastery he’s visiting, because they’ve got it completely surrounded. With all these forces you’ve got with you, do you think it would be possible to take care of them without too many casualties? Best of all would be if you could take them all prisoner. The Emperor doesn’t like to hear about people being killed.’ This last was spoken loudly for the benefit of Brother Wayward, who was standing near enough to hear what they were saying. ‘Shouldn’t be difficult,’ said Dolong. ‘We’d have to clear it with the C.I.C. first, of course.’ ‘Who’s that?’ ‘Prince Kang.’ ‘Good,’ said Trinket. ‘He’s a friend of mine.’ He called Zhao over and instructed him to tell Prince Kang that an emergency had arisen which threatened the Emperor’s safety. They needed to use troops immediately, there was no time to consult him. They would report to him as soon as possible.
赵齐贤应命而去。跟着骁骑营正黄朴诩统灿邴珠也到了。韦小宝道:“多老哥,都统大人,有数千西藏喇嘛,定是得知皇上进香的讯息,刻下团团围住清冰寺,造反作乱。你们两位立即去把这干反贼拿下,这可一件大大的功劳。”两人大喜,齐向韦小宝道谢。说道:“韦大人送功劳给我们,真是何以克当。”韦小宝道:“大家忠心为皇上办事,分什么彼此?这叫做有福同享,有难共当。”两人当即传下令去,把守四周山道,点齐猛将精兵,向山上杀去。韦小宝大声叫道:“圣上仁慈英明,有好生之德,你们只须擒拿反贼,不可多伤人命。因为对上鸟生鱼汤,不是差劲的皇帝。”一众侍卫,亲兵齐声答应。“尧舜禹汤”四字,康熙虽曾简略解说过,韦小宝却也难以明白,总之知道“鸟生鱼汤”这碗汤是大大的好汤,却是叫给老皇帝听的,心想今日老小皇帝父子相会,多拍老皇帝马屁,比之拍小皇帝马屁更为灵验有效。他转身走到行痴跟前,说道:“三位大师,咱们身上衣服不伦不类,且到前面金阁寺去换过衣衫,找个清静的所在休息,免得这些闲人打扰了三位清修。”行痴点头称是。
一行人又行了数里,来到金阁寺中。韦小宝一进寺门,便取出一千两银票,交给住持,说道:“暂借宝刹休息,一切不可多问。问一句,扣十两银子。一句不问,这一千两银子都是香金。如果问了一百零一句,你倒找我十两,不折不扣,童叟无欺。”那住持乍得臣金,又惊又喜,当即诺诺连声,问道:“师兄要……”话到口边,突然一怔,忙改口道:“……要喝杯茶了。”匆匆入内端茶。他本来想问“师兄要不要喝茶?”总算尚有急智,临时改口,省下十两银子。韦小宝出寺暗传号令,命百余名御前侍卫在金阁寺四周守卫,又差两名侍卫去奏报皇上:“奴才韦小宝职责重大,不敢擅离,在金阁寺候驾。”一名侍卫道:“启禀韦副总管:咱们做臣子的,该当前去叩见皇帝才是,不能等皇上过来见你。”韦小宝双手一摊,笑道:“没法子。这一次只好坏一坏规矩了。”两位侍卫答应了,转过身来,都伸了伸舌头,心道:“好大的胆子,连性命也不要了。”当即奔去奏报。
Zhao hurried away to look for the Commander-in-Chief, while Dolong and Chalju went off to organize their forces, glad of a chance to gain military distinction. When the safety of the Emperor’s person was involved, a successful operation was sure to bring special honours. Trinket moved over to where Brother Wayward and his two companions were standing. ‘Reverend Brothers,’ he said, ‘the Golden Pavilion Monastery is not very far from here. Shall we go there and change into something more suitable? We ought to be able to find a quiet place there where you can rest and meditate without being disturbed.’ Brother Wayward nodded. It was in fact a good two miles’ walk to the Golden Pavilion. Trinket went in ahead of the others to arrange things with the Abbot. His way of doing this was to hand him a thousand-tael banknote. ‘My Brothers and I would like to rest for a while in your monastery, Father Abbot. All of this money is for you if you don’t ask any questions. For every question you ask, I’ll charge you ten taels. If you ask a hundred, I’ll want the whole lot back.’ ‘Certainly,’ said the Abbot, ‘certainly. You are very welcome. Would you—?’ He was about to say ‘like some tea?’, but suppressed the question in case it cost him ten taels.
Kang Xi meets Brother Wayward
众僧换过衣衫,坐下休息,只听得山上杀声大震,侍卫亲兵已在围捕喇嘛。扰攘良久,声音渐歇。又过了半个多时辰,突然间万籁俱寂,但闻数十人的脚步声自远而近,来到寺外而止。跟着靴声橐橐,一群人走进寺来。
As soon as a quiet room and three sets of monk’s clothing had been found for Brother Wayward and his companions, Trinket and the Shaolin monks changed back into the monk’s habits they had brought with them and settled down to take a much-needed rest. They had not been sitting long when distant sounds of fighting could be heard and they knew that the Imperial forces had begun the task of rounding up the lamas. The sounds continued for an hour and then grew fainter. After another half-hour had gone by, there was, quite suddenly, total silence. This was broken, some minutes later, by the sound of marching feet approaching from a distance. The sound grew louder and stopped outside the monastery; then they heard talking and the sound of a smaller group entering the forecourt.
韦小宝心想:“小皇帝到了。”拔出匕首,执在手中,守在行痴的禅房之外,脸上自是摆出一副忠心护主,万死不辞的模样,单以外表而论,行颠的忠义勇烈,那是远远不如了。脚步声自外而内,十余名身穿便装的侍卫快步过来,手提着灯笼,站在两旁。一名侍卫低声喝道:“快收起刀子。”韦小宝退了几步,以背靠门,横剑当胸,大有“一夫当关,万无莫入”之概,喝道:“禅房里众位大师正在休息,谁都不可过来罗皂。”只见一位身穿蓝袍的少年走了过来,正是康熙。韦小宝这才还剑入鞘,抢上叩头,低声道:“皇上大喜。老……老法师在里面。”康熙颤声道:“你给我……给我通报。”转身挥手道:“你们都出去!”
‘The Emperor!’ said Trinket, and, rushing to the door of the room in which Brother Wayward and the two others were resting, he took out his dagger and struck an impressively warlike pose: Trinket Guarding His Master against All Comers. A dozen guards approached, armed with swords, though still in civilian clothes, and challenged him to lay down his weapon. Trinket maintained his pose, but dropped it hurriedly and put away his dagger when, seconds later, the guards were followed by a slight, youthful figure wearing the blue cloth gown of a commoner. At once he fell to his knees and kowtowed. ‘Good news, Your Majesty! His . . . His Reverence is in here.’ Kang Xi waved away the guards. ‘Go, all of you!’
待众侍卫退出后,韦小宝在禅房门上轻击两下,说道:“晦明求见。”过了好一会儿,内无应声。康熙忍不住抢上一步,在门上敲了两下。韦小宝摇摇手,示意不可说话,康熙将已到口边的“父皇”一声叫唤强行忍住。又过良久,只听得行颠说道:“方丈大师,我师兄精神困倦,恕不相见。他身入空门,尘缘已了,请你转告外人,不要妨他清修。”韦小宝道:“是,是,请你开门,只见一观便是。”
As soon as the guards had gone, Trinket rapped a couple of times on the door. ‘It’s Father Treasure,’ he said. ‘Could I please see you for a moment?’ There was no reply. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, Kang Xi became so impatient that he stepped forward and gave the door a couple of raps himself. He would have called out, too, had not Trinket frantically signalled to him not to say anything. After another silence they heard Brother Headlong’s voice speaking from the other side of the door. ‘Our Brother is feeling very tired, Father Abbot. He begs you to excuse him. And he says that he severed all earthly ties when he became a monk, so will you please tell your visitor to leave him in peace?’ ‘Yes,’ said Trinket, ‘but would you mind opening the door, please? I only want to see him for a moment.’
行颠道:“我师兄之意,此处是金阁寺,大家是客,不奉方丈法旨,还盼莫怪。”韦小宝转头向康熙瞧去,见他神色凄惨,心想:“你说我在这里不是方丈,不能叫你开门,那么我去要本寺方丈来叫门,也容易得紧。”正想转身去叫方丈,康熙已自忍耐不住,突然放声大哭。韦小宝心想:“若要本寺方丈来叫开了门,倒有逼迫老皇爷之意,倒还是软求的好。”双手在胸口猛捶数下,跟着也大哭起来,一面干号,一面叫道:“我在这世上是个没爹没娘的孤儿,孤苦人伶仃,没人疼我。做人还有什么乐趣?一如一头撞死了倒还干净。”假哭是他自幼熟习的拿手本事,叫得几声,眼泪便倾泻而出,哭得悲切异常。康熙听得他大哭,初时不禁一愕,跟着又哭了起来。只听得呀的一声,禅房门开了。行颠站在门口,说道:“请小施主进来。”
After some murmuring inside, Brother Headlong spoke again. ‘He says, he hopes you won’t be offended, but as this is the Golden Pavilion Monastery and you are only a guest here the same as us, he no longer owes you obedience.’ When Trinket looked back and saw the sheer misery on Kang Xi’s face, he felt quite angry. ‘We’ll see about that,’ he thought. ‘Just wait till I fetch the Abbot. He’ll soon have that door open!’ But just at that moment Kang Xi burst into tears. Trinket, who had perfected the art of producing tears to order at—or rather across—his mother’s knee, was soon weeping noisily to keep him company. ‘I wish ,’ had a father,’ he blubbered. ‘I’ve got no one to look after me. Nobody loves me. I wish I hadn’t been born.’ The door suddenly creaked open and there stood Brother Headlong, nearly filling the doorway. He looked only at Kang Xi. ‘Come in, please!’
康熙悲喜交集,直冲进房,抱住行痴双脚,放声大哭。行痴轻轻换摸他头,说道:“痴儿,痴儿。”眼泪也滚滚而下。玉林和行颠低头走出禅房,反手带上了门,对站在门外的韦小宝瞧也不瞧,径行出外。行颠觉得太过无礼,心中又对他感激,走了十几步后,回头叫了声:“方丈。”韦小宝正在凝神倾听禅房内行痴和康熙父子二人有何说话,对行颠也没理会,只听得康熙哭着叫道:“父皇,这可想死孩儿了。”行痴轻声说了几句,隔着房门使听不清楚。其后康熙止了哭声,两人说话都是极轻,韦小宝一句也听不见。他虽然好奇,却也不敢将房门推开一线,侧耳去听,只得站在门外等候。过了好一会儿,隐约听到康熙提到“端敬皇后”四字,韦小宝心道:“上次老皇爷叫我转告小皇爷,不可难为了老婊子,我捺下了这句话没说,不知老皇爷现下是否回心转意?”再过了一会,听得行痴说道:“今日你我一会,已是非份,误我修为不小。此后可不能再来了。”康熙没有作声。行痴又道:“你派人侍奉我,虽是你的一番孝心,可是出家人历练魔劫,乃是应有之义,侍奉我太过周到,也是不宜……”两人又说了一会,只听行痴道:“你这就去罢,好好保重身子,爱惜百姓,便是向我尽教了。”康熙似乎恋恋不舍,不肯便走。终于听到脚步声响,走向门边,韦小宝急忙退后几步,眼望庭中。呀的一声,房门打开,行痴携着康熙的手走出门外。父子两人对望片刻,康熙牢牢握住父亲的手。行痴道:“你很好,比我好得多。我很放心。你也放心!”轻轻挣脱了他手,退入房内,关上了门。又过了片刻,喀的一响,已上一闩。康熙扑在门上,呜咽不止。韦小宝站在旁边,陪着他流泪。康熙哭了一会,料想父亲再不会开门,却也不肯就此便去,拉了韦小宝的手,和他并肩在庭前阶石之上,取出手帕,试了眼泪,抬头望着天上白云,出了一会神,说道:“小桂子,父皇说你很好,不过不要你服侍了。父皇说臣子们护持得太周倒,倒令他老人家不像是出家人了。”说到“出家人”三字,眼泪又流了下来。韦小宝听说老皇爷不再要他服侍,开心之极,脸上却不敢露出丝毫喜色。
At once Kang Xi dashed in, threw himself, sobbing, at his father’s feet and embraced his legs. Trinket heard the Old Emperor murmuring ‘Silly boy!’ and got a brief glimpse of him bending over and stroking his son’s head; but before he could see more, the Venerable Yulin and Brother Headlong walked out of the room, shutting the door after them. They swept past him, eyes downcast and hands crossed on their breasts, without a look or a word. Brother Headlong must have thought this a poor way to treat someone who had not long since saved his life, for after a few steps he looked back, with what might have been a wink. Trinket tried hard to hear what was being said inside. Once he thought he heard the Empress Donggo mentioned, but mostly it was murmuring too indistinct for him to make out. After a long time there was a sound of footsteps, the door opened, and for a while father and son stood hand in hand outside. ‘You are a good boy,’ said Brother Wayward, ‘a better person than I ever was. I don’t need to worry about you. And you mustn’t worry about me.’ Then, gently withdrawing his hand, he went inside and closed the door. After a few moments they could hear him fastening the door-bar. Kang Xi threw himself against the door and for a while sobbed uncontrollably. And this time the tears that Trinket shed to keep him company were not entirely forced. ‘Laurie,’ said Kang Xi when he had somewhat recovered, ‘my father thinks very highly of you, but he doesn’t want you here looking after him any more. He says that if we try to do too much for him, he can no longer feel that he has left the world behind.’ This was good news to Trinket, but he tried to look disappointed.
也不敢显得太过“忠”字当头,奋不顾身,以免又生后患,说道:“想害老皇爷的人很多,皇上总得想个法子,暗中妥为保护才是。”康熙道:“那是一定要的。那些恶喇嘛,哼,他奶奶,到底有什么阴谋诡计?”他本来只会说一句“他妈的”,数月不见,却多了一句“他奶奶的”。韦小宝道:“师父,你又多了一句骂人的话。”康熙脸上露出一丝微笑,道:“是我妹子侍卫们那里学来的。她和太后都跟着上了山……”脸色一沉,道:“父皇不想见她们。”韦小宝点了点头。康熙道:“那些喇嘛自然是想劫持父皇,企图挟制于我,叫我事事听他们的话。哼,哪有这么容易?小桂子,你很好,这一次救了父皇,功劳不小。”韦小宝道:“皇上神机妙算,早就料到,派奴才到这里做和尚,本来就是为了做这件事。奴才也没什么功劳,皇上不论差谁来办,谁都能办的。”康熙道:“那也不然。父皇说你能体会他的意思,不伤一人而得脱危难。”韦小宝道:“奴才见老皇爷要点火自焚,说什么舍身消业,可真把我吓得魂灵出窍,屁滚尿流。”康熙惊道:“什么点火自焚?舍身消业?”韦小宝加油添醋的说了经过,只把康熙听得出了一身冷汗。韦小宝道:“只是奴才情急之下,将老皇爷淋了一身冷水,那可大大的不敬了。”康熙道:“你是护主心切,很好,很好。”
他沉默半晌,回头向禅房门看了一眼,说道:“老皇爷吩咐我爱惜百姓,永不加赋。这句话你先前也传过给我了,这一次老皇爷又亲口叮嘱,我自然是永不敢忘。”韦小宝问道:“永不加赋是什么东西?”康熙微微一笑,道:“赋就是赋税。明朝那些皇帝穷奢极欲,用兵打仗,钱不够用了,就下旨命老百姓多缴赋税。明朝的官儿又贪污的厉害,皇帝要加赋一千万两,大小官儿至少多刮二千万两。百姓本来穷得很了,朝廷今年加赋,明年加税,百姓哪里不家饭吃?田里收成的谷子麦子,都让做官的拿了去,老百姓眼看全家要饿死,只好起来造反。这叫做官逼民反。”韦小宝点头道:“我明白了,原来明朝百姓造反,倒是做皇帝,做官的不好。”康熙道:“可不是吗?明朝祟祯年间,普天下百姓都没饭吃,所以东也反、西也反。杀平了河南的,陕西的又反;镇压了山西的,四川的又反。这些穷人东流西窜,也不过是为活命。明朝亡在这些穷人手里,他们汉人说是流冠作乱。其实什么乱民流寇,都是给朝廷逼出来的。”韦小宝道:“原来如此。老皇爷要皇上永加赋,天下就没有流寇了。皇上鸟生鱼汤,铁桶似的江山,万岁万岁万万岁。”康熙道:“尧舜禹汤,谈何容易?不过我们满洲人来做中国皇帝,总得要强过明朝那些无道昏君,才对得起天下百姓。”韦小宝心想:“天地会、沐王府的人,说到满清鞑子占我汉人江山,没一个不恨得牙痒痒的。小皇帝却说明朝的皇帝不好,倒还是他鞑子皇帝好。那也不希奇,一个人自称自赞,总是有的。”康熙又道:“父皇跟我说,这几年来他静修参禅,想到我们满洲人昔年的所作所为,常常惭愧得汗流浃背。明朝祟祯是给流冠李自成逼死的,吴三桂来向我们大清借兵,打败了李自成,给明朝皇帝报了大仇。可是汉人百姓非但不感激大清,反而拿咱们看作仇人,你说是什么缘故?”韦小宝道:“想是他们胡涂。本来天下胡涂人多,聪明人少,又或者是他们忘恩负人。”康熙道:“那倒不然。汉人说我们胡虏,是外族人,占了他们花花的江山。清兵入关之后,到处杀人放火,害死了无数百姓,那也令他们恨咱们满洲人入骨。”韦小宝本是汉人,康熙赐他作了正黄旗满洲人,跟他说起来,便“咱们、咱们”的,当他便是满洲人一般。其实说到国家大事,韦小宝什么都不懂。只是康熙甫与父亲相会,心中激动,想到父皇的谆谆叮嘱,便跟这个小亲信讲论起来。韦小宝道:“奴才在扬州之时,也听人说过从前清兵杀人的惨事。”康熙叹了口气,道:“扬州十日,嘉定三屠,杀人不计其数,那是我们大清所做下的大大恶事。我要下旨免了扬州和嘉定三年钱粮。”
韦小宝心想:“扬州人三年不用交钱粮,大家口袋里有钱,丽春院的生意,可要大大兴旺了。怎生想个法子,叫小皇帝派我去扬州办事?我叫妈妈不用做婊子了,自己开他三家妓院,老子做老板,再来做庄,大赌十日,也来个‘扬州十日’。然后带了大批银两,去嘉定赌他妈的三次,这叫做‘嘉定三赌’。”又想:“老皇爷和皇上都说嘉定三赌杀人太多,是件大大的惨事,为什么赌三次钱,便杀不少人?不知嘉定在什么地方。这地方的人赌钱本事厉害,倒须小心在意。”康熙问道:“小桂子,你说好不好?”韦小宝忙道:“好,好极了,这样一来,大家有饭吃,有钱……谁也不会造反了。”话到口边,硬生生把“有钱赌”的“赌”字缩住了。康熙道:“虽然大家有饭吃,有钱使,却也未必没人造反。你出京之时,叫侍卫们送了一个人来,说是王屋山的逆贼,我已亲自问过他几次。”韦小宝心中一惊,忙站起身来,说道:“皇上吩咐奴才不可多管闲事,以后再也不敢了。”康熙道:“你坐下,这件事办得很好,那也不是闲事,今后还得大大的多管。”韦小宝道:“是,是。”心下莫名其妙。康熙低声道:“我命侍卫传旨斥你,乃是掩人耳目,别让反贼有了防备。”韦小宝大喜,纵身一跳,这才坐下,低声道:“奴才明白了。原来皇上怕吴三桂这反贼惊觉。”康熙道:“吴三桂是否想造反,现下还拿不定,不过他早有不臣之心,欺我年幼,不把我放在眼里。”韦小宝道:“皇上使点儿小小手段出来,教他知道厉害。吴三桂他奶奶的,有什么了不起?皇上伸个小指头儿,就杀他一个横扫千军,高山流水。”
康熙微笑道:“这两句成语用得不好,该说伸个小指头儿,就横扫千军,杀他一个流花滚水。”韦小宝道:“是,是,是。奴才做了好几个月和尚,学问半点也没长进,以后常常服侍皇上,用起成语来就横扫千军,让人家听得落花流水。”康熙忍不住哈哈一笑,郁抑稍减,低声道:“吴三桂这厮善能用兵,手下猛将精兵,着实不少,倘若真的造反,和福建耿精忠、广东尚可喜三藩连兵,倒也棘手得很。咱们只能慢慢来,须得谋定而后动,一动手就得叫他奶奶的吴三桂落花流水,屁滚尿流。”康熙勤奋好学,每日躬亲政务之余,由翰林学士侍讲、侍读经书诗文,只是诗云子曰读得多了,突然说几句“他奶奶的”,“屁滚尿流”,倒也颇有调剂之乐。他今日见到父亲,本是又喜又悲,但亲近不到半个时辰,便被摒诸门外,不知今后是否再能相见,深感凄伤,幸得韦小宝出言相趣,稍解愁怀,又谈到了除逆定乱的大事,更激发了胸中雄心。
The conversation with his father, now that the worst of the shock of parting from him was over, had left Kang Xi in a talkative mood. And since Trinket was the only human soul to whom he could ever unburden his true feelings, he entered now on a wide-ranging discussion of matters of state and policy, though much of what he said went well over Trinket’s head. One thing he did understand was that the Old Emperor was deeply concerned about the sufferings inflicted by his own people on the Chinese during the time of the conquest and was anxious that his son should make amends. The Ten Day Massacre of Yangzhou by the Manchus was mentioned, and Kang Xi said that one thing he was planning to do was to grant freedom from taxes to that city for several years. Trinket was appreciative, thinking how good this would be for his mother’s business. He grew apprehensive, however, when Kang Xi got on to the subject of Wu Sangui. Remembering the wigging he had earned on the journey to Shaolin for attempting to inculpate the Satrap in a non-existent rebellion involving the Wang Wu Clan, he feared that Kang Xi might still be feeling angry about it. He was relieved to find that the Emperor, far from being angry, was himself deeply suspicious of Wu Sangui’s intentions; and though he had realized that the ‘evidence’ that Trinket had sent him on that occasion was probably spurious, his only reason for responding to it with a public reprimand was in order to put the Satrap off his guard; for the Satrap, he knew full well, had many agents and might well have a spy or two in the Imperial armies.
他站起身来,在庭中取了四块石头,排列在地,说道:“汉军四王,东边的、南边的、西边的,要分了开来,不能他们联在一起。定南王孔有德这家伙幸好死了,只留下一个女儿,倒容易对付。”说着轻轻一脚,踢开石头,说道:“耿精忠有勇无谋,不足为虑,只须不让他和台湾郑氏联盟便是。”一脚又踢开一块石头,说道:“尚可喜父子不和,两个儿子势同水火,自相倾轧,料他无能为力。”将第三块石头也踢开了,只留下最大的一块石头,对住了怔怔出神。韦小宝问道:“皇上,这是吴三桂?”康熙点点头,韦小宝骂道:“这奸贼,自己老不死,却累得我万岁爷为你大伤脑筋。皇上,你在他身上拉一泡尿。”康熙哈哈大笑,童心大起,当真拉开裤子,便在石头上撒尿,笑道:“你也来。”韦小宝大笑,也在石头上撒尿,笑道:“这一回书,叫做‘万岁爷高山流水,小桂子……小桂子……’”心想“横扫千军”这四字用在这里不妥,突然想起说书先生说三国故事,有一回书叫作“关云长水淹七军”,便道:“小桂子淹七军。”康熙更是好笑,缚好裤子,笑道:“哪一日咱们捉到这臭贼,便当真在他身上撒尿。”
They were sitting side by side on the plinth that ran along the side of the courtyard. In order to explain his strategy for dealing with Wu Sangui, Kang Xi got up and found four stones to represent the Four Satraps—the collaborationist Chinese generals whom the Manchus had rewarded with semi-autonomous fiefdoms, each stationed with his own army in one of the outer provinces of the Empire. Wu Sangui, Satrap of the West, was by far the most powerful, most ambitious, and potentially the most dangerous of them. Kang Xi had learned quite a few new profanities since Trinket saw him last—presumably the Princess had picked them up from the Palace Guards and passed them on to him—and he was using quite a few of them in discussing the threat that Wu Sangui posed to the stability of the Empire. Trinket mischievously suggested that they should commence operations against the Satrap by pissing on his stone. And Kang Xi, who, for all the Imperial gravity of his everyday demeanour, was still at heart a boy, gleefully took up the suggestion, hitched up his gown, and began untrussing his trousers. ‘You too,’ he said. And so the two friends, Laurie and Misty, stood there, one on each side, solemnly watering Wu Sangui with their piss. Their eyes met as they were trussing themselves up again and they burst out laughing.
康熙坐回阶石,只听得庙外脚步声甚响,虽然无人喧哗,显是已有不少人聚集在外,韦小宝道:“看来他们已把那些恶喇嘛都捉了来。皇上真是洪福齐天,凑巧之极,刚好这时候赶到,把这些恶喇嘛一网打尽。”康熙道:“那倒不是凑巧,我得到你的密报,派人查察,得讯之后,急速赶来,却已慢了一步,让这些恶喇嘛惊动了圣驾。若不是你机灵,我可终身遗恨无穷,罪不可逭了。”韦小宝奇道:“奴才没给给您什么密报啊。”康熙道:“我派侍卫到少林寺传旨,他们说见到一个蒙古王子,几个喇嘛,又有几名武官。是不是?”韦小宝道:“是啊。”康熙道:“你吩咐他们暗中查察,这几人办事倒也得力,一查之下,便查到那蒙古王子叫作葛尔丹。那武官叫马宝,是吴三桂那厮手的总兵。他们和喇嘛勾结谋叛,意欲不利于父皇。”韦小宝一拍大腿,说道:“原来如此!奴才见他们鬼鬼祟祟,不是好人,倒不知竟是吴三桂的部下。”其实那些人的姓名来历,他早已得知,要赵齐贤等查察,意在追寻那绿衣女郎的,顺便诬陷吴三桂,想不到竟会引得小皇帝赶上五台山来。康熙道:“这三伙人后来分了手。侍卫张康年跟踪喇嘛,听到他们大集人手,要到五台山来捉拿一位重要人物。他不知事情重大,又跟了好几天,这才回京奏我。我一听之下,岂不有急?当即火速启程,只是皇帝出京,罗里罗索的仪式一大套,我虽下旨一切从简,还是迟到了一天。”韦小宝道:“吴三桂这反贼如此大胆,竟敢派遣数千喇嘛,前来得罪老皇爷,那……那不是公然造反么?”康熙嘘了一声,道:“小声!我只知他手下总兵和这些喇嘛结伴同行。他是否就此造反,现下还不能确知。”韦小宝道:“一定反!一定反!如果他是好人,怎会差遣手下大将,去和这些恶喇嘛暗害老皇爷?”
Kang Xi sat down again on the plinth, but Trinket remained standing and inclined his ear to listen. There seemed to be a lot of activity all of a sudden: no shouted orders, but the sound of large numbers of men assembling outside the monastery. ‘It sounds as if the troops have arrived with their prisoners,’ he said. They must have finished rounding up the lamas. Congratulations! What a bit of luck that you turned up when you did with all those forces!’ ‘Not entirely’ said Kang Xi. Thanks to you, I had warning that the lamas were going to make this attempt.’ ‘Thanks to me?’ said Trinket, puzzled. ‘Don’t you remember? That time I sent Zhang Kangnian to the Shaolin Monastery with that Picture Edict I took so much trouble to draw, there was a large party of people leaving just as he arrived. You told Zhang, when you were seeing him off, to find out who they were and keep an eye on them because you thought they were up to something. Well, he managed to find out who they were. There were three groups in that party. One of them was led by a Mongol prince called Galdan. One was commanded by a staff-officer of Wu Sangui’s called Ma Bao, and the rest were a party of lamas. It looks very much as if Wu Sangui was involved in the plot to kidnap my father.’ ‘So he is plotting rebellion,’ said Trinket.
康熙道:“他自然不是好人。”心下沉吟,缓缓的道:“不过我年纪还小,行军打仗,还不是他的对手,最好咱们再等几年,等我再长大些,等他又老了些。那时再动手,就可操必胜。小桂子,你不必性急,多过一天,对咱们就多一分好处,对他便多一分坏处。”韦小宝急道:“倘若他老得死了,岂不便宜了他?”康熙微笑道:“那是他的运气。”顿了顿,说道:“父皇刚才叮嘱我,能够不用兵打仗,那是最好,一打上仗,不论胜败,兵卒死伤,那是不用说了,天下百姓便不知要受多少苦楚。因此吴三桂如果乘早死了,等不到我去动手,虽然不大好玩……”他微微一顿,韦小宝接口道:“简直大大的不好玩。”康熙一笑,道:“对于百姓兵卒,却是一件大好事。小桂子,你想玩,几时我带你去辽东打黑熊,打老虎。”韦小宝大喜,叫道:“妙极,妙极!”康熙望着禅房,轻轻的道:“我六岁那年,父皇就曾带我去辽东打围,现今……”慢慢的走到门边,手抚木门,泫然欲涕。过了一地,跪倒在地,拜了几拜,低声道:“父皇保重,孩儿去了。”韦小宝跟着跪拜。
‘Perhaps,’ said Kang Xi. ‘But I’m not ready for him yet. I need a few more years before I can take him on. Anyway, to get back to the story. When the three groups split up, Zhang followed the lamas and was able to find out that they were planning this attempt. Unfortunately I didn’t receive the information in time to stop them getting here.’ Trinket thought he had better tell him about his father’s decision to burn himself rather than allow himself to be made use of as a hostage. Kang Xi was horrified—and all the more grateful to his young friend for acting so resolutely. But it was time to end this private interlude and return to public business. Kang Xi went up to the door and put a hand on it. He seemed to be struggling with his tears. Then he knelt down and kowtowed. ‘Look after yourself, father!’ he said in a low voice. ‘I’m going now.’ Trinket kowtowed beside him.
Tantric Confabulations
康熙走到大雄宝殿,康亲王杰书带着骁骑营都统灿邴珠、御前侍卫总管多隆,以及索额图等随驾大臣,前锋营都统,护军营都统都候在殿中,见皇帝出来,跪下参见。群臣站起,偷眼见小皇帝眼圈甚红,均感诧异。皇帝年纪虽小,但识见卓越,处事明断,朝中大臣都对他敬畏日增,不敢稍存轻他年幼之心。小皇帝居然会哭,倒是一件奇事。又见韦小宝脸上也有泪痕,均想:“定是韦小宝这小家伙逗得皇上哭了,两个少年,不知搞些什么玩意儿。”顺治在五台山出家,康熙瞒得极紧,纵是至亲的妹子建宁公主也不让知道,群臣自然更加不知。康亲王上前奏道:“启奏皇上:查得有数千名喇嘛,在清凉寺外罗里罗苏争闹,不知何故,现下俱已擒获在此,候旨发落。”康熙点点头,道:“把为首的带上来。”
When Kang Xi, with Trinket following him, entered the great Buddha Hall of the monastery, Prince Kang, Chalju, Dolong, Song-gotu, and a number of other officers and courtiers were already gathered there waiting for his arrival. Several of them noticed—with surprise, for he was normally so grave and mature in public and never showed any sign of emotion—that his eyes were red and swollen with weeping. When they saw Trinket’s tear-stained face as well, they assumed that he was responsible and wondered exactly what the nature of the boy-Emperor’s relationship with his young favourite might be. As soon as Kang Xi was seated, Prince Kang came forward and announced that the Imperial forces had captured and disarmed several thousand lamas found making a disturbance in the precincts of the Pure Coolness Monastery and were now awaiting the Emperor’s instructions. Kang Xi nodded. ‘Bring in the ringleaders.’
灿邴珠押上三名老喇嘛,都带上了足镣手铐。三名喇嘛不知康熙是当今皇帝,神态倔强,叽哩咕噜的说个不休。康熙突然叽哩咕噜的也说了起来,群臣都吃了一惊,谁都不知皇上居然会说藏语。其实这些喇嘛是蒙古喇嘛,并非来自西藏,康熙和他们说的是蒙古话。说了一会,三名喇嘛俯首不语,似乎已经屈服。康熙道:“带他们到旁边房里去,朕要密审。”多隆道:“是。”将三人拉入殿旁一间经房。康熙向韦小宝招招手,两人走入经房。韦小宝反手带上了房门,拔出匕首,在三名喇嘛眼睛、喉头、鼻孔、耳朵各处不住比划。康熙用蒙古语大声问了几句,一名最老的喇嘛神态恭顺,一一回答。两人一问一答,说了良久。韦小形容词一听康熙声音大了起来,稍有怒色,便出匕首威吓,若康熙神色温和,他就笑嘻嘻的站在一旁,向喇嘛点头鼓励。
Three elderly lamas were brought in and led before him. In spite of the manacles and leg-irons, their attitude was defiant. They had no idea that the stripling confronting them was the Emperor and continued to jabber to each other in their own language, completely ignoring his presence. Great was their surprise, therefore, when Kang Xi began jabbering at them himself in their own Ian- guage. The surprise of the courtiers was almost as great, since none of them was aware that he had any knowledge of Tibetan. As a matter of fact he hadn’t: the lamas were not Tibetans but Mongols and the language they were speaking was Mongolian, in which Kang Xi was reasonably proficient. After he had spoken to them for a bit, they hung their heads and were silent. Whatever it was, he seemed to have made his point. Take them into a private room,’ said Kang Xi. ‘I want to interrogate them in camera.’ The three lamas were led off to the monastery’s scriptorium. Shortly after they had gone, Kang Xi left the hall himself, signalling to Trinket to follow. When they were alone with the lamas in the scriptorium, Kang Xi made Trinket shut and bar the door. As soon as he had done so, Trinket took out his dagger and waved it meaningfully in the region of the lamas’ eyes, noses, ears, and throats, rolling his eyes and intimating, by a series of blood-curdling gestures, that if they did not comply with what was required of them, these parts would be at risk. Thereafter, throughout the interrogation, he frowned and waved his dagger at them when Kang Xi sounded angry, and nodded and smiled at them when he spoke more gently.
康熙盘问了大半个时辰,才命侍卫将三名喇嘛带出,叫韦小宝关上了门,沉吟道:“这可奇怪了。”韦小宝不敢打断他思路,站在一旁不语。康熙又想了一会,问道:“小桂子,父皇在这里出家,这事有几个人知道?”韦小宝道:“除了皇上和奴才之外,知道这事的有老皇爷的师父玉林大师,他师弟行颠大师。本来有个太监海天富,他已经死了。清凉寺原来的住持澄光大师似乎并不知道详情,只知老皇爷是一位有来头的人物。除此之外,只有老……老……那个太后了。”康熙点头道:“不错,知道此事的,世上连父皇在内,再加我和你,也不过六人。可是我刚才盘问那蒙古喇嘛,他说是奉了西藏拉萨达赖活佛之命,到清凉寺来一位和尚去西藏。我细细盘问,清凉寺中那位和尚是何等人物。他最后说,好像这位大和尚懂得密宗的许多陀罗尼咒语,活佛要他去传授密咒,好光大佛法。这自然是胡说八道,不过瞧他样子,也不是说谎,多半人家这样骗他,他就信以为真。”韦小宝道:“是,那西藏活佛是否知道老皇爷的身份,现下难以明白,不过那个挑拔活佛,前来冒犯老皇爷的人,恐怕……恐怕多半知道内情。”康熙点了点头。韦小宝突然害怕起来,说道:“皇上,奴才可的的确确守口如……如什么的,知道事关重大,连做梦也没泄漏过半句。”康熙道:“你不会说,我是信得过的。玉林和行颠两位自然也不会说。少林寺晦聪方丈和澄光大师就算猜到了一些,他们是有德高僧,决不会向人吐露,算来算去,只有那……那老……老贱人了。”韦小宝道:“对!对!一定是这老……老……”康熙沉吟道:“她在慈宁宫中,暗藏假扮宫女的男人,那是我亲眼所见。她当然担心事情败露。她杀害端敬皇后,父皇恨之入骨,父皇虽然出了家,还是派遣海天富回宫去查察此事。你知道其中详情,又在我身边。哼,这老贱人哪里睡得着觉?她非下手害了父皇不可。只有谋害了父皇,谋害了我,再杀了你,她才得平安。”韦小宝心想:“老婊子和神龙教早有勾结,她既知老皇爷未死,一定去禀服了洪教主。看来这些喇嘛来到五台山,还和洪教主有关。”
After about half an hour the interrogation ended, the door was unbarred, and Kang Xi ordered the waiting guards to take the lamas away. Then the door was closed and barred again. ‘Strange!’ said Kang Xi. Trinket didn’t ask him what was strange, but waited for him to say in his own good time. ‘Laurie,’ said Kang Xi after a bit, ‘how many people know that my father is here as a monk?’ ‘Apart from you and me, only Yulin and Brother Headlong,’ said Trinket. ‘The old eunuch Hai Dafu knew, but he died some time ago. That only leaves the Old—Her Majesty.’ Kang Xi nodded. That’s right. Only five people know. Yet these Mongol lamas told me just now that they had orders from the Dalai Lama in Tibet, the Living Buddha, to kidnap my father. I kept asking them who this monk was that they’d been ordered to kidnap, but they didn’t seem to know. In the end all they could say was that they thought he knew a lot of dharanis—that’s what they call the magic spells they go in for in their kind of Buddhism—and the Dalai Lama wanted to learn them from him. That’s all nonsense, of course, but they really seemed to believe it.’ ‘Maybe the Living Buddha doesn’t know who your father is either,’ said Trinket. ‘Maybe he does think he’s just a Pure Coolness monk who knows a lot of thingumajigs. But the person who put him up to it must have known all right. And that could only be the—’ Kang Xi nodded. The Empress Dowager. She killed the Empress Donggo and my mother, the Empress Kang. She hates my father. We know that she’ll stop at nothing. She won’t rest until she’s killed him. And probably you and me as well.’
只是自己做了神龙教的白龙使,这事可不能跟皇上提及。康熙见他脸色有异,问道:“怎么?”韦小宝忙道:“奴才心想……心想……皇上的推想半点不错,一定是这老……太后说出去的。除她之外,不能更有旁人。”康熙伸手在桌上重重一拍,咬牙切齿的道:“这贱人害死我亲生母后,又害得父皇出了家,令我成为无父无母之人。我……我不将这贱人千刀万剐,难消心头之恨。可是……可是父皇偏偏要我不可跟她为难,这却如何是好?”韦小宝心想:“老皇爷不许你杀老婊子,可没不许我杀。就算他不许我杀,老子是方丈,只能我向他下令,不必听他号令。不过这件事说穿可就不灵了。”说道:“皇上不必烦心。这太后作恶多端,终究不会有好下场。皇上你睁开龙目,张开龙耳,等着就行了。”
Trinket suddenly recalled his other identity as White Dragon Marshal of the Mystic Dragon Sect, and remembered that the Empress Dowager was a member of the Sect too. When she learned from the old eunuch Hai Dafu that Shun Zhi was alive and living as a monk on Wutai, she would almost certainly have passed on that information to the Sect’s evil Leader. But Trinket couldn’t possibly tell all this to Kang Xi. He must have been looking worried, because Kang Xi asked him what was the matter. ‘Nothing,’ he said. ‘I was just thinking that it really must be her and remembering how dangerous she is.’ ‘I hate her,’ said Kang Xi. ‘I hate her. I’d like to have her cut into little pieces; but I’ve promised my father not to harm her.’ ‘But I haven’t,’ thought Trinket. ‘I shouldn’t worry, Your Majesty,’ he said. ‘A person as wicked as her is bound to come to a bad end sooner or later. You only have to wait.’ Kang Xi was sharp enough to see what he was getting at and shot him a meaningful look. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘you’re right. Someone who has done so many bad things is sure to come to a bad end.’
康熙何等聪明,已明其意,向他凝视半晌,点一点头,道:“不错,这贱人作恶多端,终究不会有好下场。”他在经房中踱来踱去,说道:“眼前之计,须得不让众喇嘛再来冒犯父皇。最好咱们派一个可靠的人去做西藏活佛。普天下的喇嘛都归他管,那时自是更无后患。只不过西藏活佛是投胎转世的,皇帝派去的只怕不行,怎生想个法子……”韦小宝听到这里,只吓得魂飞魄散,心道:“我今日假扮小喇嘛,别弄假成了真。皇上金口一出,那就难挽回,可得抢在头里。”忙道:“皇上,这西藏活佛,奴才是万万不做的。”康熙哈哈大笑,说道:“你倒机灵,其实做西藏活佛有甚不好?他管的地方比吴三桂的云南还大,做活佛就是西藏王。”韦小宝连连摇手,道:“我宁可在你身边做侍卫,一做活佛,再也难以跟你在一起。西藏王也好,就算是地藏王,我也不做。”这几句倒不是假话。他和康熙相处日久两人年岁相若,言谈设机,虽然一个是小皇帝,一个是小侍卫,已如好朋友一般。倘若远远分开,大家也真都舍不得。康熙笑道:“地藏王菩萨的名字也乱说得的?”
He paced to and fro a while, pondering. ‘I must think of some way of making sure that my father is safe from any more of these attempts.’ He was speaking more to himself than to Trinket. ‘All lamas everywhere owe obedience to the Living Buddha in Lhasa. What we really need is a Living Buddha in Lhasa who would take his orders from us.’ Trinket was growing nervous. He was prepared to become a pseudo-lama for several hours but didn’t want to become a real one permanently. ‘Please don’t send me away to be a lama, Your Majesty!’ he begged. ‘I’d much rather just be one of the Palace Guards, so that I can stay near you.’ ‘Come to think of it, it wouldn’t work anyway,’ said Kang Xi. The Living Buddha has to be born there. No, I’ve thought of another way.’
推开房门,走了出来,向灿邴珠和多隆道:“你二人办事得力,朕有赏赐。”灿邴珠和多隆大喜,磕头谢恩。康熙道:“联祟信佛法,果然这几年来上体天心,菩萨保佑,国家平安,万民康乐。韦小玉在这里作朕替身,代我出家为僧,大大有功。”韦小宝也磕头谢恩。康熙道:“现今韦小宝作朕替身为期已满,随我回京,轮到察乐珠出家两年,不过不是做和尚,而是做五台山大喇嘛。你挑选一千名骁骑营的得力军官军士,一起跟你做喇嘛。公驻山上十间大喇嘛寺。众军出家期间,饷银加倍发给,另有恩赐。”灿邴珠一怔,虽然不大愿意,也只好谢恩。康熙道:“为善若欲人知,便非真善。此事吩咐众人守口如瓶,不得泄漏,否则军法从事,不假宽贷。多隆将五台山的众喇嘛都锁拿了回京,圈禁起来。派人去告知达赖活佛,说道皇上请这些喇嘛去北京弘扬佛法,明宣教义。过得七八十年,待得佛法昌盛,便送他们回西藏。”他说一句,灿邴珠和多隆便应一句。韦小宝大喜:“老子逃出生天,从此不必做和尚了。”又想:“这些喇嘛再过得七八十年,还有命回家么?他们大胆冒犯老皇爷,皇上宽洪大量,不杀他们的头。监禁一世,那是大大的便宜了。”康熙又道:“韦小宝,升你为骁骑正黄朴诩统,仍兼御前侍卫副总管。灿邴珠,你大喇嘛做得好,回京之后,派你到外省去做提督。”两人又都谢恩。韦小宝也不怎样,心想正都统,副都统反正都是这么一回事。灿邴珠却十分喜欢,京中大官极多,骁骑营都统不过得皇帝亲信,单是骁骑营一营,八旗各有一个都统,便有八个都统,见到亲王贝勒,贝子公侯,都得屈膝请安,除了饷银之外,又没什么油水,一放到外省去做提督,那可威风八面,财源广进了。
He made Trinket unbar the door and follow him back into the hall. He called to Chalju and Dolong to come over to him. ‘You have both done excellently today,’ he said. ‘I intend to reward you.’ They knelt down and kowtowed. ‘I’m becoming very much attached to the teachings of the Lord Buddha,’ Kang Xi went on. ‘So far my reign has been greatly blessed, and I attribute this to His protection. Father Treasure has been earning merit for me as my proxy during the past year, but his time here has now expired and I am taking him back with me to Peking. He will become a full Colonel in the Valiants and will continue to be Second-in-Command of the Palace Guards.’ Trinket knelt beside the other two and kowtowed. ‘You, Chalju: I want you to be my proxy for the next two years—not as a monk, though, but as a lama. I am making you a Grand Lama with authority over all the lamas here on the Wutai Mountains. You are to select a thousand men of the Valiant Regiment to be lamas here with you in your own lamasery. This is all to be secret, you understand. If you play your part well, I shall make you a Military Governor at the end of the two years.’ Chalju had been somewhat dismayed at the prospect of becoming a lama, but the comparative autonomy and rich pickings mat went with a Military Governorship would more than compensate, He cheered up immediately. ‘Now you, Dolong, are to take care of these captured lamas,’ Kang Xi continued. ‘I want you to take them back with you to Peking and get them settled there somewhere where they can be kept under strict surveillance. You are then to inform His Holiness the Dalai Lama that I long for our Empire to enjoy the benefits of the Tantric doctrine, which I acknowledge to be the most perfect vehicle of Buddhist truth, and have therefore invited these lamas to Peking, where they will be able to worship after their fashion and promote their doctrine among my people. When, after seventy or eighty years, the Truth expounded by them has penetrated throughout our Empire, I shall send them back to Tibet.’
A White Apparition
其时天已黎明,康熙吩咐去清凉寺拜佛。来到寺外,只见刀枪抛了一地,草间石上溅满了知渍,可见昨晚擒拿众喇嘛时一场激战,着实打得厉害。康熙入寺参拜如来和文殊菩萨,便后山顺治参禅的小庙去察看,但见焦木残砖,小庙早已焚毁一空,康熙暗暗心惊:“倘若父皇昨晚没逃出,不免便烧在庙中,我……我……”一时不敢往下再想,吩咐索额图布施白银二千两,重修小庙。他知父亲不愿张大其事,因此银子也不便多给。
At dawn next day, Kang Xi having announced that he wanted to worship at the Pure Coolness Monastery, they proceeded there without delay. As they drew near the monastery, they saw discarded weapons lying about everywhere in the trampled grass and there were patches of still-wet blood on the grass and smears of blood on the rocks and stones. Evidently the ‘disarming’ of the lamas had been a rather more sanguinary business than they had been led to suppose. After offering incense at the altars of the Buddha and the Bod-dhisattva Manjusri, Kang Xi wanted to see the little temple where his father and his father’s two companions had lived and meditated. Nothing remained of it now but charred beams and a pile of blackened rubble. The Young Emperor reflected with a shudder that, but for the previous night’s timely rescue, his father’s remains would have been underneath the debris. He turned to Songgotu and gave orders for two thousand taels to be donated to the monastery immediately for the rebuilding of the temple.
回到大雄宝殿,众少林僧都过来相见。他们见这位小施主随从众多,气派极大,自必大有来头,说不定还是亲王贝勒之流。群僧虽不趋炎附势,但他布施巨金,重修小庙,都合十称谢。澄通等也都看不出,那些假扮香客的随从之中,有不少人身具武功。康熙来到父亲出家之地,不愿便去。说道:“我想在宝刹借住三五天,不知使得么?”韦小宝道:“大施主光降,求之不得……”突然间砰的一声巨响,泥沙纷纷而下,大雄宝殿顶上已穿了一洞,白影晃动,一团白色的物事直堕而下,却是个身穿白衣的僧人,手持长剑,疾向康熙扑去,叫道:“今日为大明天子复仇!”
Returning to the main hall inside the monastery, he asked to see and speak for a while with the thirty-six Shaolin monks who had taken part in his father’s rescue. They had no idea, of course, that the distinguished youth talking to them was their Sovereign, much less that the monk they had rescued was his father the Old Emperor, whom, like everyone else, they believed dead; but it was obvious to them that this young man was a person of great consequence, an Imperial Prince, perhaps, or a beileh—one of the lesser princes. When he formally requested permission to stay in the monastery for a few days (being reluctant to leave so soon the place where his father had so recently been), they were glad when their little Abbot welcomed him on their behalf. It was actually just when Trinket was in the middle of extending this welcome to Kang Xi that a shower of dust and plaster descended on them from the ceiling. Looking up they saw a large hole that had been made in it and a white shape moving above the hole. Moments later legs appeared through the hole and a creature came hurtling downwards. It was a monk dressed in a white habit and carrying a long sword. ‘Vengeance for the Ming Emperor!’ cried the monk, in a high, reedy voice, and made a lunge at the Emperor.
康熙急忙后退,多隆、灿邴珠、康亲王等因在皇帝之旁,都未携带兵刃大惊之下,都向那人扑去。那人左手衣袖疾挥,一股强劲之极的厉风鼓荡而出,多隆等七八人站立不稳,同时向后摔出。澄心、澄光等齐叫:“不可伤人。”出手阻拦。那僧人又是袍袖一拂,少林寺澄字辈的僧人各施绝技化开,可是众僧虎爪手、龙爪手、拈花擒拿手、擒龙功等等,却也没能抓住此人。众僧惊诧之下,都是心念一闪:“天下竟有如此人物!”那白衣僧更不停留,又挺剑向康熙刺来。康熙背靠佛座供桌,已无可再退。韦小宝急跃而上,挡在康熙身前,噗的一声,剑尖刺正他胸口,长剑一弯,竟没刺入。韦小宝胸口剧痛,他早拔出匕首在手,回手挥去,将敌剑斩为两截。
Fortunately Kang Xi stepped back in time and escaped being hurt. Court protocol pro- hibited the carrying of arms in the Emperor’s presence, so Dolong, Chalju, Prince Kang, and the others were all of them unarmed; nevertheless a number of them sought to lay hands on the intruder. To counter them he merely flapped his enormously long left sleeve like someone cracking a whip and sent them staggering backwards. They said afterwards that it felt like encountering a hurricane. As the monk continued to advance on the Emperor, several of the Shaolin monks made a rush at him, but, for all their skill, were disposed of in the same way. Meanwhile, Kang Xi had retreated so far that his back was against the altar and he could go no further. Just when the monk apparently had him at his mercy, Trinket, not stopping to think what he was doing, jumped in front of him and received full in his own chest the thrust that was intended for the Emperor. It hurt abominably, but the sword appeared to bend slightly and did not wound him.
那白衣僧一呆。澄观叫道:“不可伤我师叔!”左掌向他右肩拍落。白衣僧抛去断剑,反掌挡架。澄观只觉胸口热血翻涌,眼前金星乱冒。白衣僧赞道:“好功夫!”眼见四周高手甚众,适才这一剑刺不进那小和尚身子,更是大为骇异,当下不敢恋战,右手一长,已抓住韦小宝领口,突然间身子拔起,从殿顶的破洞窜了出去。这一下去得极快,殿上空有三十门名少林高手,竟没一人来得及阻挡。澄心、澄光等急从破洞中跟着窜上,但见后山白影晃动,竟已在十余丈处,这人轻劲之佳,实是匪夷所思。群僧眼见追赶不上,但本寺方丈被擒,追不上也得追,三十六僧大呼追去,只晃眼之间,那团白色人影已翻过了山坳。
After staring for a moment in astonishment, the monk seemed to make a sudden change of plan. He threw away his sword, wrapped his right arm round Trinket’s body, tipped him off his balance, and rushed off, at what seemed in the circumstances like superhuman speed, out of the hall and out of the monastery, carrying him like a parcel under his arm. In no time at all they were on the mountainside and climbing higher. In spite of the uphill slope and the substantial weight he was carrying, the monk easily outstripped the thirty-six Shaolin monks who were in hue and cry behind him, and before long he had rounded a bend in the mountain and was out of sight.