Ode to gallantry, p.60
Ode to Gallantry, page 60
Mi Hengye moved to take these packages from disciples but Fan Yifei moved quickly towards his disciple and took one of the packages from his back in his hand and held in front of him. He stepped about three steps and said: "In past when honorable Situ Bangzhu was in Guandong then he was really on good terms with us three people and we were really close friends. We didn’t forget our friendship with Situ Bangzhu and we will remain friend throughout our life time. This is the millennium ginseng which prolongs the life and is very rare thing. I want to give it to brother Situ."
He held the package with both hands and looked at Bei Haishi but did not hand over the package.
Shi Potian found it quite strange and thought: "Now who is this Situ Bangzhu?"
Bei Haishi listened to Fan Yifei and then coughed several times. He sighed and made a sad face and said: "Ohhh…my Bangzhu Situ, elder brother…" he sighed gain and said: "Some years ago elder brother went through a very unpleasant matter. He was down hearted and lost interest in the matters of the sect and other worldly affairs….coughs...... therefore he has asked Shi Bangzhu to handle the sect matters and has himself moved in to the mountains to live in seclusion. It has quite some time now and we haven’t heard any news about him so nowadays younger brother Shi takes care of the sect affairs. Each of these generous gifts should be now handed over to Shi Bangzhu in my opinion."
As soon as Fan Yifei heard these words, he said: "You don’t know where brother Situ is living right now? We didn’t know that brother Situ has retired?" His refined language was gradually becoming strict and as a matter of fact it looked as if he was interrogating these people.
Bei Haishi showed a faint smile and said: "We all are only sub-ordinates of Situ Bangzhu. It is his private affair, how can we know. Master fan and all honored guest you people are old acquaintance of Situ Bangzhu, you should be aware that Shi Bangzhu has taken over the command of the clan of eternal happiness."
In just a few words Bei Haishi blamed them of their ignorance. Fan Yifei didn’t know what to answer and said: "this ......How do we know about this matter?"
Bei Haishi said: "when Situ Bangzhu turned over the heavy responsibility of leading the sect to Shi Bangzhu, we knew nothing about him. In fact he didn’t have reputation in the martial art world and by age too he was really young. To be honest actually a lot of sub-ordinates had their doubt on his leadership skills but after Shi Bangzhu took over he had set several great merits for the local guild. Situ Bangzhu really had a great eye and his knowledge in seeking competent people is really extraordinary…. coughs ......If not so, how would we be having with discussion with such honorable heroes from Guangdong, heh!!"
The implied meaning was that if you think that Situ Bangzhu took the wrong decision to give the sect leadership to Shi Bangzhu then it would be disrespectful to both the sect and Bangzhu himself.
Lu Zhengping suddenly said: "Physician Bei, we also actually heard this news in Guandong recently that’s why we came to the central plains to investigate the matter."
Bei Haishi said: "If a message travels thousand miles than obviously it will get twisted and incorrect. Actually I don’t know what rumor you have heard?"
Lu Zhengping said: "It will be imprudent of us to tell you about the rumors without knowing the truth. This is a very difficult matter for us. Actually we heard a good friend saying that: "Elder brother Situ is ......is ......" suddenly his eyes lit up and he said in a clear loud voice: "......has died in the hands of this evildoer who is now the leader of the clan of eternal happiness. He has actually usurped the position of this sect leader and is actually very corrupt, obscene and lascivious in nature. This young fellow is really cruel and this friend I am talking about is not someone whose words are empty. He knows Situ Bangzhu from several years in the past and he is well informed about his fame in martial art realm. Situ Bangzhu trusted this young fellow but he has taken advantage of it or…I would say rather taken the liberty to do as he wants."
Bei Haishi sneered and said: "brother Lu, your words are illogical…it looks as though that you have taken the liberty to spout nonsense."
Lu Zhengping got raged in anger and his face turned red. He thought in his heart: "This Bei Haishi really lives up to his reputation. " He loudly said: "It’s a internal matter of the clan of eternal happiness and we as outsiders can’t ask for an inquiry but we people from Guandong martial art fraternity value the sect very much and we only want to know if brother Situ is alive or not. It doesn’t matter if this right or wrong but we will do anything to find what actually happened to him and are prepared to take any actions for this purpose.
Bei Haishi said: "Although I Bei Haishi is good-for-nothing, but in the martial art realm I too have a reputation, not as much as you people but still how can I change my statement? If you honorable people ask me to lie knowingly then I will but then again a lie is a lie. We are all from the martial art realm and we should be warm-hearted to friends but you should understand that this matter is actually unclear and unintelligible….really unclear and unintelligible!"
Gao San Niangzi couldn’t restrain herself by the hearing this flattery and ridiculed Bei Haishi and said fiercely: "My brother Situ was killed, I am afraid you Bei Haishi were the chief instigator. We have arrived to the central plains to take revenge for our brother Situ and we won’t be going back without completing this job. If you are a real man then come out and accept what you have done. Do you have the courage to say the truth? Tell me how brother Situ died?"
Bei Haishi said: "I have this sickness for so many years, its noisy and troublesome and refuses to die. I have lived a long life and I don’t have much left to live for. If Gao San Niangzi wants to kill me then she will actually do a big favor to me."
Gao San Niangzi got angrier and she said: "Thanks a lot, you are an elder in martial arts realm and you are actually giving this old lady some face but you are still not willing to share the truth. You go and call that young fellow surnamed Shi and then this old lady will ask in front of everyone."
She thought that this Bei Haishi is a wily old fox, if they fight him now then they will be overwhelmed by there sheer numbers. This Shi Bangzhu is after all a young boy. Let me see if he willing to tell the truth, or even from his look, we may get some clue.
Cheng Chong standing beside Bei Haishi suddenly laughed and said with a dirty smile on his face: "just now Gao San Niangzi talked about how our Shi Bangzhu is fond of women. That is true but our Bangzhu is only fond of young and pretty women or gentle and refined girls. If you really want Shi Bangzhu to see you then its okay but…I’m afraid …..He won’t….ha..haha!"
He said these words in a really obscene way and obviously his expressions were frivolous and the implied meaning was obvious. He ridiculed Gao San Niangzi in front of all these many people by implying she is old and rude.
Dingdang asked in a very low voice: "Elder sister is really good looking and actually is quite attractive, do you like her?"
Shi Potian said: "What nonsense are you talking now! Be careful or you will find holes in you body if she shoots her short knives at you!"
Dingdang said with a smile: "If she shoots her knives at me then will you save me, will you help me?"
Shi Potian didn’t reply.
Gao San Niangzi got extremely angry and was shaking in rage. In a flash three short knives moved towards Cheng Chong as if three silver light streaks moved towards him. Cheng Chong dodged these anxiously and said with a smile: "So are you are fancying me now lady?" He opened his mouth to give a dirty and frivolous expression.
Fan Yifei called out quickly: "hold on for a minute!" But Gao San Niangzi was extremely angry by now and she didn’t intend to restrain herself. She sent out her short knives one after another, one more quickly then the previous one. Cheng Chong managed to avoid the first six but he didn’t manage to evade the seventh one and unexpectedly it caught him on the center of his right leg, he quickly knelt down to immediately.
Gao San Niangzi sneered and said: "kneel down and beg for mercy?"
Chen Chong too got extremely angry and drew out his sword and attacked her. Feng Liang came forward and parried his blow with his nine soft whips.
Shi Potian saw that now everyone was gearing up for the fight so called out suddenly: "cannot fight, cannot fight! You should see me; you can ask me whatever you want?"
As he said these words, he came out of the hiding, holding the hand of Dingdang in between the crowds. Everyone looked at him and in a swift move Cheng Chong leapt backwards. The clan of eternal happiness gave a thunderous applause to him and bowed in front of him at once and said: "Bangzhu has arrived!"
As soon as Fan Yifei and others heard these words they were extremely surprised and couldn’t believe their eyes but the manner in which everyone in the clan of eternal happiness behaved in front of him, obviously this was not some charade. He thought in his heart: "the young master have told his name Zhong Yu, by age too he is really young, his martial arts are is extremely high, so it isn’t much surprise that the clan of eternal happiness is relying on his. It’s my mistake only that I didn’t think about this matter earlier. (Some play of word by Jin Yong; Fan Yifei musing about the letters in Shi and Zhong Yu")
Gao San Niangzi said apologetically: "Shi......Shi Bangzhu, so actually you are Shi Bangzhu......You are the sect leader of clan of eternal happiness, we were really reckless. Had we known earlier then there won’t have any misunderstanding?"
Shi Potian showed a faint smile and said to Bei Haishi: "Master Bei, I never thought that we will bump into each other in such a manner, these people are my friends, please don’t fight with them."
Bei Haishi saw Shi Potian and was extremely happy and anyway he and the Guandong people didn’t have enmity originally, so he bows slightly and said: "I didn’t manage to handle this situation correctly, it all is my fault. Please accept my apology and withdraw all your weapons."
Gao San Niangzi said: "We heard the wrong criticism of Shi Bangzhu, we only heard that brother Situ was harmed by him so we gathered our people and came to central plains to inquire about the matter. We didn’t knew that the new sect leader is actually Shi Bangzhu. We have seen that young master Shi is a righteous person and it’s highly unlikely that he will harm elder brother Situ. I think that elder brother Situ must have seen the martial art skills and the streak of righteousness of this young and promising hero and he himself would have abdicated the leadership to a more qualified person, actually I think brother Situ was fortuitous to find someone so able to replace him."
Shi Potian didn’t know what to answer so he turned to Bei Haishi and said: "this…this…brother Situ…."
Bei Haishi addressed the Guandong people and said: "Situ Bangzhu is living in seclusion in some remote mountain and he is not seeing any visitors. If he starts meeting visitors then there are a lot of people who will queue up to meet him."
Lu Zhengping said: "I spoke rashly to master Bei and offended him and all the people from clan of eternal happiness, really should die for this, please accept my apologies."
As soon as he said these words, he bowed in front of them and clasped his hands and also said: "but Brother Situ and our friendship was really unusual, we have arrived in the central plains just for the purpose to meet him and get news of his well-being. Master Bei you said that Situ Bangzhu doesn’t see the bystanders, but we are not actually some bystanders."
As she said these words he looked towards Shi Potian with pleading eyes.
Shi Potian said to Bei Haishi: "Elder Situ, do you know how far he lives? Brother Fan and rest of these people have walked through several passes and spent months to come to central plain just to meet him. They will be really disappointed if they don’t do so."
Bei Haishi really felt awkward; he couldn’t defy the orders of the sect leader in front of everyone but also didn’t want to discuss this matter there so he said: "I am really muddle headed and unable to fulfill my responsibilities as I explained earlier. You people has come from such a long way and extended friendship to Shi Bangzhu and I haven’t even invited you fro a drink. I don’t want the clan of eternal happiness to lose face in front of everyone because of me so I will invite the fellow visitors who have come from such a far place to come with me to drink a glass of inferior wine, better come late then never."
Shi Potian asked Bei Haishi: "Is our sect not to far from here?"
Bei Haishi was extremely surprised and color drained out of face, he said: "here in the north-east direction, take a short cut to the city Zhenjiang about fifty miles on road."
Shi Potian turned his head to look at Dingdang. As soon as Dingdang saw him, she gave her an infectious smile and put her hand on her lip to keep quiet.
Fan Yifei wanted to ask the whereabouts of Situ Bangzhu but as he heard Bei Haishi about the sect location, he couldn’t restrain himself and said: "Since we have come to the central plains then it would be fitting if we can come to clan of eternal happiness and pay our respect."
Immediately everyone set out in the north-east direction, by the dawn they managed to reach the clan of eternal happiness in Zhenjiang. The steward ran and took care of the people from Guandong and gave them attentive reception.
Shi Potian and Dingdang entered the sect together. Everyone was waiting for the sect leader to come back and they were all pleasantly surprised to see him coming back with a beautiful young girl. Some of them thought: "It looks that the sect leader is really fine now. Formerly after that big sickness, his temper changed but now it looks that he is back to his older self."
Shi Potian washed his face and drank a cup of tea, he heard Bei Haishi to be on the other side of the door, he said: "Elder sister, wait for a moment, I have to ask something from Master Bei."
Shi Potian didn’t wait for her reply and came out of room and said: "Master Bei, I want to ask you something, what is this matter of Situ Bangzhu?"
Bei Haishi said: "please come along with me."
They passed through the garden and arrived at the altar of chrysanthemum, there was an octagonal pavilion. Bei Haishi waited for Shi Potian to sit down and then only took the seat and said: "It looks that after the sickness even after so many days you are still not able to recall the past matters?"
Shi Potian once listened to his parents analyzing carefully about how clan of eternal happiness might have deliberately made him their sect leader so that they can avert the disaster of ‘command of reward and punishment’, but Bei Haishi was always extremely respectful and courteous towards him. He remembered that he only saved him on skyscraping cliff when he was suffering from cold and heat energy streams. He was fortunate that Bei Haishi was there at the moment and he only diagnosed the problem. Even though they were acting for there selfish reasons but still he saved his life on that day.
At this moment it will be really awkward to ask him directly about this matter so he was spoke frankly and said that he didn’t remember the past matter so at least he can understand more about their strategy.
He said: "Precisely, that is why I have asked you Master Bei to tell me everything from the beginning to end and relate to me in detail."
Bei Haishi said: "Situ Bangzhu was originally called Situ Heng, nicknamed eight claws Octopus, he was your teacher's younger brother; Bangzhu, I hope at least you remember this?"
Shi Potian said: "my teacher's younger brother, I ......Don't remember? What school is that?"
Bei Haishi said: "Situ Bangzhu never mentioned about the origin of his school or his teacher. As a subordinate it felt really inconvenient to ask about it. Three years ago, we helped you to save your life from your own master......"
Shi Potian asked: "saved my life from my master, who is my master?"
Bei Haishi shook his head and said: "it looks that this sickness has a really strong effect on your memory. You even forgot your master unexpectedly. However I too have doubt about this matter but your subordinate actually don’t know. When Snow Mountain sect sent Bai Wanjian to assert that actually you are a disciple of their sect, I have my doubts but looking at your martial arts skill I found it pretty different from their sect."
Shi Potian said: "my master? I have kowtowed in front of Grandma Shi and accepted to become the disciple of Golden phoenix sect but that is the recent matter."
He extended his hand to knock his head and thought that what other people are saying and what I know and have seen doesn’t match anymore. In his heart, he was quite worried and asked: "So how did I become the sect leader then?"
Bei Haishi said: "When you came here then Situ Bangzhu hired you to become his sub-ordinate and help in sect affairs. At that time there was a great turbulence in the martial art realm. A lot of the sub-ordinates came here to discuss a very important matter, they came here to discuss about ‘command of reward and punishment’. Do you remember anything about that meeting?"
Shi Potian said: "’Command of reward and punishment’, yes I know about them actually. However I don’t remember anything about that meeting. I have absolutely no memories of it."
Bai Haishi said: "All the sub-ordinates actually meets annually, it’s a big gathering with all the halls of Zhenjiang and sub-ordinates and their heirs meet on the third day of third month to get together and discuss important matters. Three years ago as I have mentioned they came to discuss how to handle ‘’Command of reward and punishment’. Everyone was prospering at that time and all felt that it is really difficult to escape them this time so they wanted to plan for them in advance. They knew that the envoys will reappear in the martial-art realm again in three years and will start inviting sect leaders."
Shi Potian nodded and said: "Yes...yes… I know the two envoys of command of reward and punishment and their vicious bronze medals. I know that if people don’t consent to go then they and their entire sect suffers calamity and everyone is slaughtered. I have seen it with my own eyes."
Bei Haishi shivered with cold and asked: "Bangzhu, you saw with your own eyes, I don’t understand?"
