Chapter - 434 The Brides Pale Arms Parts the Red Clothing (9) (2/2)
Default Chapter 34 – Second Half
”Everybody is suffering right now,” Zhang Wuji said, ”The Tatars suppress the people of the Central Plains; everybody lives in suffering and great difficulty. Later on, when we get married and also have driven out the Tatars, then we will live a happy life and not suffer anymore.”
Zhou Zhiruo raised her head. ”Wuji Gege,” she said, ”I know you are being sincere to me. It's just that that little witch Zhao Min is trying to seduce you, it's not that you are of a double-minded person [orig. 'three-heart two-intention']. Only … only she is too smart, her martial art skill is superior, her beauty, her power, everything in her is ten times better than I am. After all is said and done, I simply cannot beat her. It is better for me to die than to live a broken-hearted life. Who would have thought that that fool Han Lin'er would revived me. I have tried to die once, I don't have the courage to try again. I … I want to be like Shifu, I want to shave my head and become a Buddhist Nun. Ay, in the end, our Emei Pai's Zhang Men [Sect Leader] is not a family woman.”
”You are always anxious,” Zhang Wuji said, ”Let's do this: tomorrow, we are leaving for the Huai Si River, we will get married over there.”
”We haven't found Yifu,” Zhou Zhiruo replied, ”Besides, you haven't destroyed the Barbarians, how can you get married? In the end … in the end we can't get married yet.” While saying that, tears started to flow again.
”Naturally we must intensify the search for Yifu,” Zhang Wuji said, ”But it will be a lot easier for us to find information if we are among our brethren. As for driving the Tatars away, nobody can tell when would that be. Are you saying that we should wait until we become 'lao gong gong' [old man or grandfather] and 'lao po po' [old woman, also grandmother] before we can bow to the Heaven and the Earth to get married? A pair of an old man and an old woman getting married is not strange, but we certainly can't get any children, then the Zhang family of mine will die without any heir.”
Zhou Zhiruo blushed and covered up her mouth. ”An honest and naïve person like you, I wonder where did you learn to talk garrulously like that?” It was as if the anxiety clouds and the miserable fog in the sky were lifted up and scattered away with their laughter.
Early morning the next day, Zhang Wuji requested Peng Yingyu to stay in Dadu for three more days to inquire about any news on Xie Xun; while he took Zhou Zhiruo and Han Lin'er heading south toward the Huai Si River area. When they entered Shandong's border, they saw a large group of defeated Mongolian army, dragging their armor and losing their helmets, swarm in. Seeing the condition of these defeated soldiers, Zhang Wuji and the others avoided them by taking a detour. Later on, they saw a lone soldier fall behind, they captured and interrogated him, and found out that in Huaibei, Zhu Yuanzhang had repeatedly won several big battles and completely routed the Yuan army.
The three of them were unable to restrain their delight; they picked up their speed and reached the Lu Wan [Anhui province] boundary, which had fallen under the Ming Cult's rebel army [orig. 'yi4 jun1' – justice/righteous army] territory. Someone in the rebel army recognized Han Lin'er and quickly reported to the general mansion. As the three of them approach Haozhou, Han Shantong, leading Zhu Yuanzhang, Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, Deng Yu, Tang He, all the senior generals, were already out welcoming them within thirty 'li's [about 15 km] of the city limit. It was their first meeting after a long separation, so everybody was very happy. As Han Shantong learned about Han Lin'er being captured by the Beggar Clan and how their Cult Leader battled his captors to rescue him, he did not cease from expressing his gratitude. Amidst the clamoring gongs and drums, and dazzling armored entourage, they entered the city of Haozhou.
Zhou Zhiruo rode a horse right behind Zhang Wuji. She looked to the left and glanced to the right, and thought that although this parade was not as glamorous as the Emperor and Empress' 'Tour of the Imperial City', she was quite pleased with it.
Zhang Wuji rested inside the city for a few days. As Yang Xiao, Fan Yao, Yin Tianzheng, Wei Yixiao, Yin Yewang, Priest Tieguan ['iron hat'], Shuo Bude, Zhou Dian, and all leaders of the Five-Element Flags received the news about his arrival, they all came from all over the country. Zhang Wuji told them that Xie Xun had returned to the Central Plains; and how he was captured by the Beggar Clan but went missing later on. He told them everything related to this incident.
Yang Xiao, Fan Yao, Yin Tianzheng, and the others discussed this matter over and over again, but nobody was able to offer any explanation. Fan Yao said, ”The origin of that lady in yellow is unknown, but perhaps she holds the key to the information on Xie Xiong's [brother Xie] whereabouts.”
Nobody had ever heard about that in the Wulin world there existed this lady in yellow. They could not offer anything except exhorting Zhang Wuji not to worry. ”Judging from her speech and conduct, this lady in yellow does not hold any ill intention,” they said, ”If Jin Mao Shi Wang has fallen into her hands surely he won't come into any harm. Perhaps all this woman wants is some information on the Tulong Saber.”
Zhang Wuji was still feeling an inexplicable concern in his heart, but he could not do anything except dispatch the Five-Element Flags to go everywhere to find information.