Ode to gallantry, p.81
Ode to Gallantry, page 81
Two people embraced each other and were actually both happy and also sad at the same time and burst into tears.
Shi Potian heard him saying that "we were not born on same month and same day in the same year but will die on same month and same day in the same year" and cannot restrain himself and looked at Zhang San and Li Si.
Zhang San and Li Si looked at each other to smile and then turned their head towards the island hosts. Long Daozhu and Mu Daozhu nodded slightly. Zhang San and Li Si both carried a bowl of meat gruel and went to Shi Potian and said: "Brother, please!"
Shi Potian hurriedly said: "No, no! Two elder brothers, you do not need to accompany me with dying. I only ask you to look after A’Xiu......"
Zhang San said with a smile: "Brother, we swore brotherhood; we said that day that we will share happiness and sorrow together so actually we are lucky to be here with you too. You had already eaten the meat gruel; we are the elder brother so how can we not eat it?" As he was saying these words, Zhang San and Li Si both started eating bowl of meat gruel respectively. After they finished the gruel, they turned around and bowed to the two island host and then returns to their original ranks.
The numerous guests saw Zhang San and Li Si to worry about Shi Potian and as a sworn brother accompanying Shi Potian to eat the gruel and were really shocked. They understood however that it was really difficult to outrun the predestined time of death and after watching Zheng Guangzhi and Xie Wenbao reconciling.
Bai Zizai thought: "The character of these two people envoys of Command and punishment can be said as variant. If my sworn brothers have taken some violent poison then would I have worried about the righteousness of vow to my sworn brother and would I have accompanied him to his death?" As he thought these words, he cannot help but felt great hesitation and confusion regarding what he might have done.
Suddenly he thought: "Since I have this moment of hesitation, even if I finally decide to die still those words "big chivalrous person"…these three characters should be removed from my title…what a shame."
They only heard Zhang San saying: "Brother, here some guest do not like the taste of this eight meat gruel probably, if you like then you may even eat several bowls." Shi Potian was a person of good appetite and was hungry for half of the day; a bowl of meat gruel was insufficient to satisfy his hunger so he thought that he has already eaten one bowl, what’s the harm in eating some more so he looked around for people offering him more gruel.
Nearby several people saw him looking for gruel and hurriedly came to him carrying their bowl. Someone said: "This gruel smell is too nauseous, I cannot drink. Young hero, please eat it, this way our host will also won’t feel bad." They saw with their own eyes that Shi Potian stretched his pair of hands and took a bowl. People were afraid that Zhang San might renege on his words and they will lose this good opportunity so they hurriedly put the gruel bowl on the table of Shi Potian.
Shi Potian said: "Many thanks!" he took two bowls and finished it off in one go.
Long Daozhu smiled and nodded, he said: "Brother Xie has said well, on the map that nameless desert island was indeed this island of heroes however the name of island of heroes was given to it by me and Brother Mu once we arrived in the island. It was a little arrogant of us to two people to overstep one's authority and posing as heroes but there is another reason which you will know later. We followed the instructions in the map and searched for this location and finally after 18 days we managed to find that martial art secret. Originally this martial art was in form of some ancient poetic verses and pictorial illustrations; the meaning was extremely abstruse and profound. We two brothers were extremely glad and didn’t care much and started practicing according to the pictorial illustrations."
"Oh! How can we know that our good fortune turned to disaster? We two people studied for several months but our martial art showed no improvement and we had certain disagreement. I said that we should follow one method to practice and Brother Mu thought that my idea has some flaw and should practice in some other way. We two people argued for several days and it was pretty hard to convince the opposite party throughout, so we agreed to disagree and immediately started practicing separately and thought that we will verify afterwards who is right and who is wrong. After having practiced more than half a year, we two people begin to doubt our approach, whenever we were looking for solutions, it actually led to another question and much to the amazement of we two people ….actually….actually...."
He spoke in a very low voice and in a very low-spirited tone and stopped talking. Mu Daozhu sighed and looked at him but didn’t say anything.
After a long period of time, Long Daozhu said: "Originally we two people practiced incorrectly!"
The numerous guests listened these words and were shocked. They thought that the martial art of their apprentice Zhang San and Li Si is so high so naturally they might also have superb martial art skills. Various people were already familiar with the amazing internal strength of these two envoys so they were expecting that the internal energy of both island hosts would be immeasurably deep. The study of internal energy is a lot different from normal martial art involving palm and feet, if there is a slight mistake then the person will suffer severe injury. The more the profound internal strength, the result would be more disastrous for even a small mistake, a person can immediately get killed.
They only listened to the Long Daozhu saying: "We two people detected the mistake but didn’t stopped practicing right away and debated the analysis mutually to study truth. The intelligence of us two people too bad, after some time we were not able to properly understand the pictorial illustrations too as those illustrations were far too abstruse, We studied diligently again for several months relentlessly.
In this time, some pirate ship drifted in towards this island, my brother and I killed three bandit chiefs. We conducted separate trials and executed all the evil doers on the ship one by one and coerced other people on the ship to stay in the island.
We also discussed that since we are only following the pictorial illustrations but are not studying the ancient poetic verses so we might need some help to understand this martial art skill. We were now practicing for two years, as they say the first impressions are most lasting. We thought that we have made a mistake to consider only the pictorial illustrations but ignoring the poetic verses so we decided to receive several disciples and let them think. We both selected six disciples from the people in ship who were literate and intelligent by mental disposition but with average martial art skills. We taught them separately but didn’t pass on the internal strength knowledge but directed their skill at swordsmanship and then sent them to study the poetic verses.
Afterwards the three disciples of mine and the three disciple of Brother Mu studied those verses and came back and told about their meaning. There was no doubt among those people that all of them gave similar explanations. We two people discussed again carefully that this pictorial illustrations and came to conclusion that these have been based on Li Taibai's ancient poetry. We are the uncouthly people from martial art realm and have limited knowledge of literature and were much inferior to the well-versed scholars who are skilled in the poetry and art. It came to our understanding that to understand this martial art, one has to be proficient in not only martial art skills but also in literary skills. Therefore I and Brother Mu came to the central plains and spent one year here and receives four disciples respectively. Each one of them was well versed with the poetry books and was Confucian scholars, perhaps had some poetic talent or was famous littérateur."
He pointed at the 7-8 disciples standing in black cloths and said: "I have to pretty candid about the fact that if these disciples took an examination, then it would be as easy as a pie for them to get selected for the Hanlin academy (academic and administrative institution founded in eighth century Tang dynasty, these were elite group of scholars, who performed secretarial and literary tasks for the court).
In the beginning when they arrives at the island of heroes, they were is not necessarily forced to study martial art skills too but they studied martial art also to get better understanding of the verses and illustrations and have whole-heartedly remained here. They thought that studying martial arts is by far better then serving as an official."
Numerous guests listened to him saying: "Studying martial arts is by far better then serving as an official" and couldn’t agree more to his words and nodded at the same.
Long Daozhu also said: "But these eight famous littérateur have all come from different family backgrounds and places and after going through the verses and illustrations they all had different insights. I and brother Mu actually discussed these different theories but we were not convinced and couldn’t agree on any one approach conclusively and instead we two people got more and more confused.
"We were unable to find a way to understand and properly identify our next step and were extremely worried. If we decide to abandon and let it go then all these effort would be wasted.
Suddenly Brother Mu had an idea, he said: "In the martial art world, whenever people speak of the essence of martial art study, they always look up to the leader of the Shaolin temple, wondrous truth master, why not we ask him to come to advice?"
I said: "The wondrous truth master lives in seclusion for tens of years and don’t take much interest in the worldly affair, I am afraid that he will accept our invitation."
Brother Mu said: Why not we transcribe those twelve illustrations and deliver to Shaolin Temple and ask him to glance? If the wondrous truth master ignores then also that place is good enough for that illustrations and we don’t have to be afraid that it will fall in wrong hands and we brothers do not need to pay attention to this nuisance again."
I said: "This idea is great; we might as well make two copies and deliver it to Mt. Wudang to Taoist priest Yu Chadao. Shaolin and Wudang are the most famous two schools of martial art in the realm and it go without saying that these two are the most skilled people currently in the martial art realm and their distinguished opinion might be really helpful."
"We two people drew the replica of poetic verses and pictorial illustrations; we drew the pictorial illustrations in first chart and nearby copied the verses and made sure not to omit a single word and went to deliver these to Shaolin Temple personally.
As I was quite honest earlier too that we were extremely glad when we two people discovered this ancient poetry and pictorial illustrations and only wanted to study ourselves. We wouldn’t have even considered to share this secret with even a third person in the martial art world but the more we studied the more we got engrossed and even after relentless efforts we were not able to understand it so we made up mind to go to Shaolin Temple with this rare book. We actually reached to a position that we were ready to share the book with the entire world only if someone can solve this enigma.
After we reached Shaolin Temple, I and Brother Mu sealed that book in an envelope and asked the monk in charge of reception of visitors to submit it to the wondrous truth master. In the beginning that monk was not willing. He said that the wondrous truth master is living in seclusion for many years and we do not send any message to him from bystanders. We two people then respectively took the futon and blocked the Shaolin Temple's front door and sat there for seven days and seven nights and did not let the Buddhist priest to come in and go out. The monk in charge of reception of visitors was helpless and finally agreed to hand over that letter."
The numerous guests thought: "He said these words pretty lightly but blocking the front entrance of Shaolin Temple for seven days and nights is seriously easier said than done? In this period who knows they would have passed through many fierce struggles with several highly skilled opponents. The Shaolin monks were unable to drive out them so they agreed to give his letter."
Long Daozhu continued and said: "After that monk in charge of reception of visitors received the envelope, we stood up and left Shaolin Temple and waited in a small inn near the mountain foot. We have not waited for even a half hour when wondrous truth master rushed in and only asked: "where?"
Brother Mu said: "We must also to another person."
The wondrous truth master said: "good, then lets us get Yu Chadao!"
"Three people arrived on Mt. Wudang, the wondrous truth master said: "I am the Shaolin Temple’s wondrous truth, I have to see Taoist priest Yu Chadao."
They do not have to wait for the notification and rushed in. the reputation of the Shaolin Temple’s wondrous truth master was such that no Wudang disciples dared to detain. We two people followed after him. The wondrous truth master arrived in the room and immediately opened that manual and gave it to the Taoist priest. Yu Chadao looked at the pictorial illustrations and then the poetic verses and did not say a word and then turned around to walk. We were pleasantly surprised by this behavior of Taoist priest Yu Chadao and we all came back to island of heroes.
Wondrous truth master was adept in Shaolin martial arts and all sort of unsurpassed artistries, Yu Chadao wielded the sword like a god, these two were apex characters in the martial arts world and everyone recognized them. They arrived in the island and then started studying the verses and illustrations. In the first month, they mostly had same ideas with some minor differences but by second month the difference started growing significantly. By the third month, the situation actually went out of control and these two highly skilled master actually had a big dispute over the interpretation of the illustrations and verses and even ......even, oh! It began unexpectedly."
The various guests were all surprised and then someone asked: "Did these two people of great martial art skills decided to resolve their dispute by a duel…who actually won and who was defeated?"
Long Daozhu said: "Wondrous truth master and Taoist priest Yu Chadao both used their own understanding of the verses and illustrations to fight. They fought up to fifth move and realized that they are actually using similar moves but from sixth moves onwards there were subtle differences. So sometimes they fought and then rested and again fight. This went on for several months and the two people kept on reading the verses and illustrations and fought using their interpretation. Sometimes they both used similar moves and some times there were startling difference however it is pretty difficult for us two brothers to say who was better or inferior.
I and Brothers Mu discussed in detail and came to conclusion that this martial art is broad and profound, it was so difficult for even the wondrous truth master and Taoist Yu Chadao to understand and master this skill so we should contact people of high martial art skills and ask them to look at these verses and illustration and try to comprehend the meaning. As the saying goes "Three smelly tanners can surpass Zhuge Liang". We should invite the numerous heroes from the martial art realm who was well versed in different skills and will ask them to look at these.
In the meantime we found that this "broken heart eclipse bone spoiled heart grass" had blossomed exactly at that time. If this grass is used properly and mixed with proper herbs and then cooked down as a hot gruel then it benefits the martial art exponent greatly therefore we sent two people as our envoy to invite the famous masters of the sects and schools to come to this island of heroes and request them to help us to found the solution and interpret the meaning of these verse and illustration and also to eat the meat gruel. Once they have eaten the gruel then I ask them to have a look at the verses and give their views."
As he said these words, various people looked at each other in blank dismay, half believing and half doubting and the complexion of everyone look totally confused.
For half of the day no one said anything then Ding Busi asked loudly: "So it means that you have really invited everyone to eat the meat gruel and your intension was pure and good."
Long Daozhu said: "To say that our intension is good is not necessarily true. I and brother Mu are a bit selfish in our heart, we only hope that the great martial art experts from numerous sects and schools can give their insight and help us solve this puzzle which is bugging our life for such a long time and also help to put the study of martial art to the next level but if you mean that we have any intension to hurt any one of numerous honored guest then please be at ease. We certainly have no such intension."
Ding Busi sneered and said: "How can you say these kinds of words in front of everyone and believe that you can deceive people just like that? If a person doesn’t accept your invitation to come to eat this gruel and help you study this martial art secret then why do you kill those people? You not only kill them but kill their entire family or even the entire sect. Do you think that this is your way of treating people in such an overbearing manner exudes your good intension?
Long Daozhu nodded and clapped twice. He said: "Bring the account books of Command of reward and punishment."
Then eight disciples came inside the hall and everyone held a pack of account books, each pack was at least two feet high.
Long Daozhu said: "Distribute it among the honored guests." The numerous disciples took the account books and delivered it to various heroes. The name of some sects or school was written on the top of each account books.
Ding Busi looked at one book and saw the characters written on top "The Ding family". He cannot help but was startled in his heart and thought: "The movement of us brothers is really unusual, this island of heroes is such out-of-way desert island, totally isolated from the martial art realm, how are they aware of so much news about our family."
He turned over the pages and saw the notes that on some day on some month on some year Ding Busan had done this thing and on some day on some month on some year Ding Busi had done that. Although it didn’t covered everything but still all the big and significant incidents of their life in past 20 years was captured in the book.
A stream of sweat started streamed across him as Ding Busi looked at his book, he stole a glance and looked at other people, in fact everyone was looking distressed and everyone’s complexion turned pale. Only Shi Potian was still eating more gruel and did not pay any attention to the book which had "Clan of eternal happiness" inscribed in its front, actually no one knew about his character at all so nothing was written regarding him.
