Chapter 11 – Eighty-Eight Slain (2/2)
“And Zhuo Donglai sent you here?”
“Yes.”
“To do what?”
“Your young servant was sent here to extend an invitation to the Clan Leader and Hero Gao. Tonight Mr. Zhuo would like to hold a welcoming banquet for you, at the First Pavilion of Chang’an Restaurant, in the west of city.”
“Does he know how many people we brought here?”
“Not counting Hero Gao, the Clan Leader has brought eighty-six people.”
“And he only wants to invite us two?” Zhu Meng laughed coldly. “Zhuo Donglai is really just too stingy.”
“I’m afraid he’s not stingy, but considerate.”
“Considerate?”
“Because Mr. Zhuo wants to be considerate, he only dares to invite the Clan Leader and Hero Gao.”
“Why?”
“Even if it’s a hazardous situation, two unparalleled heroes can come and go as they wish.”(6) Zhuo Qing laughed coolly. “I’m afraid others just won’t do.”
Zhu Meng laughed again. “Well said. Even if the Chang’an Restaurant First Pavilion is a hazardous situation, Zhu Meng and Little Gao will head over. But you shouldn’t have come here.”
“Why?”
“When a talented person like you suddenly appears, how could I bear to let him go?” Zhu Meng’s laughter was as cold as snow. “If I let you go, wouldn’t everyone under heaven laugh at me, and say that Zhu Meng could not see a hero standing right in front of him?”
Zhuo Qing suddenly laughed.
“If Yang Jian could seek refuge with the Great Protection Agency, then I could also seek refuge with the Lion Clan. But I’m afraid now it’s not possible.”
“And when would it be possible?”
“When the Lion Clan is powerful enough to defeat the Great Protection Agency.” Zhuo Qing appeared to be completely emotionless. “Your young servant is not a very loyal person, but he does have a very clear view of things.”
Little Gao looked at him, shocked. He really had never imagined that he would hear such words come from the mouth of someone so young.
Zhuo Qing noticed his change of expression. “What I’m saying is the truth,” he said. “The truth is often not very pleasant to hear.”
Zhu Meng laughed. “Then should I let you return to Zhuo Donglai so that you can help him fight us?”
“Your young servant already said, the Clan Leader can kill me by simply turning over his hand. But the Clan Leader should realize that if he does kill me, then seeing a certain person again would be as difficult as climbing to the heavens.”
Zhu Meng’s face changed color.
He knew which “certain person” Zhuo Qing was talking about. The statement slashed at him like a whip, and he suddenly didn’t know how to protect himself.
Zhuo Qing had already bowed and saluted. “Your young servant takes leave.”
He suddenly turned and walked off, clearly not worried at all that someone might cleave his head off from behind. He didn’t cast another glance at Zhu Meng.
The veins on Zhu Meng’s forehead bulged.
—He couldn’t let Zhuo Qing leave, couldn’t let his subordinates see him let an enemy free because of a woman.
—But how could he let Die Wu die?
Little Gao sighed. “I never thought he would see things so clearly. He knew that the Lion Clan’s Zhu Meng wouldn’t kill an unarmed person, someone acting on orders to extend an invitation.” He glanced around. “No true man would do something like that, let alone Zhu Meng.”
One of the other men stood up and said in a loud voice, “Big Brother Gao is right. Brothers, let’s all toast Big Brother Gao.”
Eighty six men all shouted in agreement, their voices ringing like thunder. Little Gao ripped open his jacket. “Okay! Bring the wine!”
Part 5
“I know Zhu Meng can’t let go of Die Wu,” said Zhuo Donglai coldly. “But I didn’t think he would let you go so easily.” A deeply meaningful expression filled his eyes. “To let an enemy go so easily, and all for a woman. Isn’t Zhu Meng worried his brothers will look down on him? Isn’t he worried about weakening their spirit?” He laughed coldly. “Is Die Wu really that entrancing?”
“Their morale is no lower,” said Zhuo Qing.
“Because Gao Jianfei understands Zhu Meng’s moods, and was able to get him out of his predicament. He led Zhu Meng’s brothers to believe that he released his enemy, not because of a woman, but because of the code of brotherhood.”
“When two countries are at war, you don’t kill the ambassadors. Zhu Meng is straightforward and upright, how could he kill an unarmed man?” Zhuo Qing’s eyes shone with admiration. “That’s what Gao Jianfei said.”
Zhuo Donglai continued laughing. “This guy really is a true friend to Zhu Meng. The rest of his brothers are all just pigs.”
“Actually, they understood what Gao Jianfei was doing,” said Zhuo Qing. “But they weren’t willing to scorn Zhu Meng. Because they don’t want Zhu Meng to be that cold-blooded. Because true heroes aren’t ruthless.”
“And what kind of person can be ruthless?”
“An ambitious person,” said Zhuo Qing. “Heroes shed no tears, ambitious people are ruthless.” (7)
Zhuo Donglai’s shone with violent coldness. He stared at Zhuo Qing for a long time, before coldly asking him, “If Gao Jianfei didn’t say what he said, would Zhu Meng have killed you?”
“He still wouldn’t have.”
“Why not?”
Zhuo Qing’s voice was cool and calm. “Because in his heart, Die Wu’s life is more valuable than mine.”
Part 6
Dusk. After dusk.
The room was dark, and the lamps had not been lit. Die Wu didn’t like lamps.
—Was it because she feared that she would be drawn to the flames like a moth?
Flames flickered in the oven. Die Wu stood beside it, slowly removing her clothes.
Her naked body sparkled, smooth, pure white and flawless.
The door pushed open. She knew someone had entered the room, but she didn’t turn her head. Other than Zhuo Donglai, no one would dare enter his room.
She bent over and began to gently massage her legs.
She knew that the suppleness of her legs could easily arouse the lust of men.
No one could resist this kind of enticement, no one ever had.
So she found it strange.
Zhuo Donglai looked at her, but didn’t make any move whatsoever.
She slipped into her dancing outfit, which was as delicate as a cicada’s wings. When she wore it, it seemed as if she were adorned with moonlight, hazy moonlight, beautiful in a way that made her irresistibly enticing.
And yet Zhuo Donglai continued to stand there, motionless.
Die Wu finally couldn’t help but turn around. The pearl head ornament in her hand fell to the ground.
The person who had entered was not Zhuo Donglai.
As she turned her head, she saw a young man standing in front of her, looking at her, his face pale and lifeless.
Die Wu quickly recovered her composure.
She had never imagined someone other than Zhuo Donglai would dare enter his room, but she accepted his presence.
The only thing that she found strange now, was that the young man looked at her in a way no one had ever looked at her before.
When others looked at her naked body and long legs, their eyes would burn as if with fire.
But this young man’s eyes were as as cold and sharp as an icy crag.
Zhuo Qing looked at Die Wu, and it seemed as if he was looking at a chunk of ice, or a block of stone, or the edge of a knife.
Die Wu looked at him too, for a long time. She could sense no change in his expression.
“Who are you?” she finally asked. “Can you tell me who you are?”
“Zhuo Qing. My name is Zhuo Qing.”
“Are you a person? A flesh and blood person?”
“I am.”
“Are you blind?”
“No.”
“Can’t you see me?”
“I can,” said Zhuo Qing. “I can see every part of your body, very clearly.”
His voice, cold and polite, contained no trace of derision or obscenity.
He was simply stating the facts.
Die Wu laughed and then sighed, a laughing sigh. “Don’t tell me you always tell the truth?”
“Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. When there’s no need to lie, I tell the truth.”
“And now, you don’t need to lie?”
“Absolutely not.”
Die Wu let out another sigh. “You say you can see every part of my body clearly. Aren’t you worried Zhuo will dig your eyes out?”
Zhuo Qing looked at her calmly for a long time, then one word at a time said, “He won’t do that.”
Die Wu seemed to have no reaction to this, but she completely understood his meaning.
“He won’t do that,” she said. “Because he’s given me to you? He’s not given me to you? He’s given me to someone else?”
Zhuo Qing said nothing.
“He’s really so magnanimous,” said Die Wu, her voice filled with scorn. “Never before has a man who slept with me been willing to let me go.” She sighed. “It’s really a pity.”
“A pity?”
“A pity for you. He really should give me to you. You’ll never meet another woman like me in your entire life.”
“Oh?”
“It’s a pity for me. You’re young, you’re good looking. I’ve always liked big boys like you. You never get tired.”
She gazed at him, her eyes narrowing, her lips moist. She walked toward him, slowly opening her garment, and pressing her lithe, sleek, warm body up against his.
Her waist undulated, and a moan rose from deep in her throat.
Zhuo Qing had no reaction.
Die Wu panted, reaching out to grasp his hand. Suddenly, her hand was grabbed firmly, and she was thrown away.
Zhuo Qing tossed her like a ball onto the bed, and looked at her coolly. “There are plenty of methods you can use if you want to torture yourself, to humiliate yourself. You can use any method you want. But I won’t.”
“You won’t?” laughed Die Wu. Her laughter was filled with madness. “Aren’t you a man?”
“Trying to make me angry won’t work,” he said. “I’m not going to sleep with you.”
“Why not?”
“Because I am a man. I don’t want to be tormented every day by thinking about your body.”
“As long as you’re willing, you can hold me every night.”
Zhuo Qing smiled, a smile that seemed as if it had been carved from granite. “I thought of that too. But I also know the fate of men who want to hold you.”
Die Wu stopped laughing, and her eyes filled with an indescribable look of torment.
“You’re right,” she said softly. “The men who want to hold me are either dead or suffering.” Her voice was hoarse and filled with pain. “Thankfully, those men are not bastards, just idiots. Any suffering they experience is their own doing.”
“And Zhu Meng,” asked Zhuo Qing. “Is Zhu Meng a bastard or an idiot?”
Die Wu stood up and stared at the flickering flames in the oven. A long time passed, and then she laughed coldly. “You think Zhu Meng misses me? You think Zhu Meng will feel sad and broken-hearted over me?”
“He won’t?”
“He isn’t a person,” she said, her voice filled with hatred. “The same as Zhuo Donglai.”
“Are you telling me he doesn’t care about you?”
“What does he care about? He only cares about his reputation, his position, his power. If I died in front of his face, he wouldn’t shed a single tear.”
“Really?”
“In his eyes, I’m not a person, I’m just a toy, just like a child’s doll. When he’s happy, he’ll bring out the doll to play, but when he’s bored he throws it to the side. Sometimes he wouldn’t even talk to me for days.”
“So because he treats you like this, you decided to sneak away after our surprise attack on the Lion Clan?”
“I’m a person too. Would any person be willing to be treated like a toy?”
“No. But,” said Zhuo Qing, “did you ever stop to think that maybe you misjudged him?”
“What did I misjudge about him?”
“Sometimes men like him are not able to show the true feelings in their heart. I know that there are many people who cannot show their feelings, especially toward the woman they love.”
“Why?”
“Perhaps because they think that expressing love to a woman would mean that they aren’t a true man, a manly man. Or maybe it because they really don’t know how to do it in the first place.”
“Zhu Meng is not like that,” she said sharply. “He understands these things better than anyone, and can do them better than anyone.”
“Oh?”
“When he treats others well, what he does is more beautiful than anyone else could do. Sometimes it makes me sick.”
“But you aren’t other people. You’re different from others.”
“How am I different?”
“Because you are his woman. Maybe he thinks you should innately know how you are different from others.”
“Well, I don’t know,” she said. “If a man truly loves a woman, he should make her know.”
“Maybe you don’t understand him.”
“I don’t understand him?!” Die Wu let out another cold laugh. “I slept with him for three or four years, and I don’t understand him?”
Zhuo Qing’s face was filled with another granite-like smile. “Of course you understand him, much more than we do.”
The night was dark, and the room had long since grown silent. Die Wu sighed lightly.
“I’ve said too much tonight, haven’t I.”
“Yes,” said Zhuo Qing. “We should go now. I came here to take you away.”
“Where are you taking me?”
One word at a time, Zhuo Qing said, “Don’t tell me you forgot? You promised Mr. Zhuo that you would dance for him tonight.”
**
(1) This was a type of death penalty in ancient China. Pretty self-explanatory, I think.
(2) I’m not sure if there’s another way to translate this type of sword. It was a type of sword especially used in executions. Here’s a picture:
(3) Songs/poetry always are difficult to translate, and require either a good knowledge of Chinese poetry, or a good bit of research. I’m pretty sure that Gu Long is taking a famous line from the philosophy of Zhuangzi to make this part of the song. Zhuangzi (a famous Warring States period philosopher) had a dream where he became a butterfly. Then he woke up and wasn’t sure whether he was a man who had dreamed of a butterfly, or perhaps he was actually a butterfly dreaming that he was a man. Here’s more deep info
(4) What I’m translating “every walk of life” is a Chinese idiom which means people of the “three religions and nine schools of thoughts.” That would be referring to the three main religions of China (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism) and the nine major schools of thought (Confucians, Daoists, Naturalists, Legalists, Logicians, Mohists, Politcal Strategists, Eclectics, Agriculturalists)
(5) He’s addressing himself as a junior of a lower generation.
(6) He uses a cool idiom to describe a hazardous situation. The literal translation is “a dragon’s pool or a tiger’s den.”
(7) This is really cool in Chinese. The word for hero is 英雄 yīng xióng, and the word being used for “ambitious person” is 枭雄 xiāo xióng, which means a fierce, ambitious, ruthless person. As you can see the last character is the same, so the words rhyme. “Shed no tears” in the original Chinese is 无泪 wú lèi, which literally means “without tears.” And “ruthless” is 无情 wú qíng, which literally means “without emotion.” This is the same word for “ruthless” that is in the title of “Sentimental Swordsman, Ruthless Sword.” So the whole phrase in Chinese is 英雄无泪，枭雄无情 yīngxióng wúlèi, xiāoxióng wúqíng. Or literally “heroes have no tears, the ambitious person has no emotion.”