Chapter 6 - TROUBLE IN THE PALACE

1

Count Seven, Zhou Botong, Guo Jing, and Lotus took the small boat west. Guo Jing sat at the stern with the oar, while Lotus interrogated Zhou about riding the shark. The Old Urchin came up with ever more elaborate suggestions as to how they could catch another such beast, in order to amuse the young woman.

Guo Jing looked across at Count Seven and noticed that his cheeks were pale. "How are you feeling, Shifu?"

Count Seven was panting heavily, but did not reply. His pressure points had been unlocked, technically, but his internal injuries were still troubling him. Lotus gave him a few Dew of Nine Flowers pills, which helped with the pain somewhat, but his breathing was still strained. Lotus had received the pills as a present from Zephyr Lu, who had lovingly filled up the ceramic bottle, screwed the lid firmly shut and wrapped it in oil paper so they would not be ruined by water.

Unaware of the feelings of those around him, the Old Urchin was shouting about how they absolutely had to jump into the water and catch some fish. Lotus cast him a glance to tell him to be quiet and stop vexing Count Seven. But Zhou Botong was oblivious and kept rambling on.

"But you don't have any bait," Lotus said, knitting her brow.

The Urchin was as childish as his name suggested, but he was unaffected by having someone his junior chastise him in this way. "I know!" he said and paused, before crying out, "I know! Brother Guo, I'll hold your hand and you lower your upper half into the sea."

Guo Jing instantly agreed, out of respect for his elder.

"No!" Lotus cried. "Don't listen. He wants to use you as the bait to catch a shark!"

"Exactly!" Zhou Botong cried, clapping his hands. "When it comes near, I'll give it a good knock to the head and pull it up. You won't get hurt. Or, you hold my hand and I'll attract the shark."

"The boat is so small—why are you two causing such trouble? You'll capsize us."

"If only!" Zhou Botong cried. "Then we could have fun in the water."

"And what about Master Hong? Don't you care if he survives?"

Zhou Botong scratched his cheek, at a loss for words. He paused, then said, "I don't understand what's so extraordinary about the Old Venom. You're a man of experience. How could you be so careless as to leave yourself on the receiving end of a beating?"

"If you say another word of this nonsense, the three of us will stop speaking to you for three days and three nights," Lotus retorted.

Zhou Botong stuck out his tongue, but was finally quiet. Instead, he took the oars from Guo Jing and began to row with force.

The shoreline had appeared close, but it was almost dusk before they landed. That night, they slept on the beach. By the next morning, Count Seven's condition was worse still. Guo Jing began to cry.

"Even if I were to live another hundred years, I would still have to die one day. Boy, I have only one wish remaining. With my last breath, I would like to ask you three to do something for me."

"Tell us, Shifu," Lotus said, with tears in her eyes.

"I never liked that Old Venom," Zhou Botong interrupted. "I will get revenge on the snake for you. I'll kill him."

Count Seven smiled weakly. "Revenge is a waste of a dying man's last wish. All I ask is to have one last bowl of Contrast of the Five Treasures, just like they make in the imperial kitchens."

A last meal!

"That's easy, Shifu," Lotus replied. "We're not far from Lin'an. I'll sneak into the Imperial Palace and steal a few pots. You can eat to your heart's delight!"

"I'd like to try some, too," Zhou Botong said.

Lotus gave him a sharp look. "What do you know about good food?"

"It won't be easy to find," Count Seven said. "I hid in the palace kitchens for three months and tried it only once. But the memory of those delicious flavors … Why, it's enough to make me drool."

"I know!" Zhou Botong cried. "We'll capture the Emperor's chef and force him to make it for you."

"Not a bad idea," Lotus said.

The Old Urchin felt very pleased with himself.

"No," Count Seven said firmly, shaking his head. "It is a complex recipe that requires particular kitchen implements, a charcoal fire and specific chinaware. Not one bit can be missing, otherwise it won't taste right. We have to go to the palace."

He could see the doubt on their faces.

"It will be a most valuable experience," he urged.

Guo Jing hoisted his Master onto his back and, together, they set off northward.

2

Upon reaching the first small town, Lotus sold some jewelry and purchased a small mule and cart, so that Count Seven might rest and recover.

Lotus and Guo Jing agreed in hushed tones that it would be best to return their Master to Peach Blossom Island, where they, or Apothecary Huang, could take care of him. There, in a locked underground chamber, concealed according to the principles of the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, which governed the entire design of the island, he could be cured. Their only fear was that, if Lotus's father caught sight of Guo Jing, he might hound him about the Nine Yin Manual. Were they to get into a fight, it would only agitate their Master. Perhaps it would be better if he were to recover in Lin'an, after all.

Guo Jing worried that his six shifus would go to Peach Blossom Island to look for him. The quicker he could reunite with them, the better—then he could go with Lotus to meet her father. It would be better to have Zhou Botong with them; he could explain the whole funny story about the Manual and clear up the sorry misunderstanding. Then Count Seven Hong would be able to rest properly on the island. And yet … Zhou Botong was so unpredictable. What if he somehow made Apothecary Huang even more angry? It would not be easy to get him to stick to the plan.

Before the end of the first day, they had crossed the Qiantang River and were on the outskirts of Lin'an. The evening mist clung to everything around them, blanketing the scene so that they could barely discern the outline of the metropolis in front of them. A lone crow cried through the fog. They decided not to go any farther, but rather to look for lodgings in a nearby inn. In the distance, where the water curved around a mighty bend, there was a cluster of a dozen or so houses.

"Over there. We can spend the night in that lovely village," Lotus said.

"What's so lovely about it?" Zhou Botong said glumly.

"It looks like something out of a painting."

"So what?"

Lotus stared back at him blankly, unsure how she should answer.

"A rather ugly painting. As if the Hoary Urchin had painted it himself," Zhou Botong said.

"If you're asking the heavens to create a landscape just like your random scribblings, I'm sure they could manage that too," Lotus said with a smile.

"I wouldn't be so sure. Why don't I draw something and you ask the heavens to oblige?"

"Fine. You've said you don't want to stay here, so why don't you go? The three of us aren't moving."

"Why would I leave without you?"

By the time they had finished this silly exchange, they had reached the village.

The village was, in fact, no more than a desolate, run-down collection of buildings, with the flag of a tavern fluttering in its eastern corner. They stopped in front of it and observed the thick layer of dust that covered the two tables standing outside, under the eaves.

"Hi!" Zhou Botong called out.

A young woman of about twenty emerged from the doorway. Her hair was uncombed, but held up with a hairpin made from a twig of bramble. She met the visitors with wide, blank eyes.

Lotus ordered food and wine, but the girl shook her head.

"You don't have food or wine? What kind of inn is this?" Zhou Botong said.

The girl shook her head again. "I don't know."

"What a silly girl," he replied.

The girl grinned. "Yes, my name is Silly Girl."

At this, they all laughed.

Lotus stepped inside and went to look at the kitchen. Everything was covered in dust and cobwebs. There was some leftover rice in one of the pots, and a broken mat covered a bed. A shiver went through her.

"Do you live here alone?" she said, upon her return.

The silly girl smiled and nodded.

"What about your mother?"

"Dead!" She rubbed her eyes, as if pretending to cry.

"Your father, then?"

The young woman shook her head. Her cheeks were dirty, and her long nails were black with mud. Who knew how many months she had gone without washing?

We couldn't eat any food she made, anyhow, Lotus thought.

"Do you have any rice?"

The young woman nodded and carried out a large pot that was half filled with the cheapest unpolished rice.

Lotus began washing the rice, while Guo Jing went to look for provisions, returning with two fish and a chicken from another house, at the western edge of the village.

By the time the meal was ready, it was already dark. Lotus brought out the food and placed it on the tables outside, before going in search of an oil lamp, but the young woman merely shook her head. She did not have one.

Lotus collected some firewood and lit a fire in the hearth, then went in search of some bowls and chopsticks. She opened a cupboard door and a foul stench assailed her nose. Taking a burning log from the fire, she gazed inside and saw seven or eight chipped bowls. Scattered around them were a dozen dead cockroaches.

Guo Jing reached in and took the bowls.

"Wash them first, then snap a few twigs into chopsticks," Lotus instructed.

Guo Jing nodded and left. Lotus reached for the last bowl and was surprised to find that it felt cold. Colder than normal. She tried to grab it, but it refused to move, as if nailed to the shelf. Afraid to break it by yanking too hard, she tried one more time, gently, before giving up. Could it have been in there so long that the dirt had glued it stuck? She looked more carefully and discovered it was covered in rust. The bowl was made of metal.

Lotus chuckled to herself. She had seen rice bowls made of gold, silver and jade, but never in her life had she seen one made of steel. She gave it another tug, but still it would not move. She was intrigued. Given her strength, surely the shelf would crack, at the very least? Maybe it, too, was made of steel? She tapped it with her middle finger, only to find that it was indeed made of metal.

Her curiosity piqued, she pulled with all her strength. Still, nothing. She tried turning it right, then left, and felt it loosen somewhat. She tried again—harder, this time—and the bowl moved. She heard a cracking sound, and then the two sides of the cupboard opened to reveal a large, dark opening. This was the source of the sour smell, strong enough to turn her stomach.

Lotus cried out and quickly leaped to one side. The sound drew Guo Jing and Zhou Botong. Together, they peered inside. What is this place? Is the girl just pretending to be a fool?

She passed her makeshift torch to Guo Jing, approached the young woman and reached for her wrist. The woman, in turn, shook herself free and sent a palm at Lotus's shoulder.

Something told Lotus her intentions were not good, but the move was straight out of the same school of martial arts that she had herself trained in, and this surprised her. She made a hook with her left and grabbed with her right. Since she had learned the Transforming Muscles, Forging Bones chapter of the Nine Yin Manual, her speed and strength had improved immeasurably.

"Ow!" The young woman cried out as her arm was hit, but she followed with two moves in quick succession. They exchanged a few more blows. Lotus was astonished to watch her opponent perform Jade Ripple Palm, one of the basic techniques of Peach Blossom Island kung fu. Lotus held back, hoping to goad the young woman into revealing more about where she had studied. But it soon became apparent that she only knew these six or seven basic moves, in much the same way that Guo Jing had fought Graybeard Liang with only Haughty Dragon Repents. She was not as strong as Guo Jing, of course, and she had no variation in her technique.

They were all astonished to find a poor, filthy girl in an abandoned inn out here in this benighted village able to fight Lotus for more than ten moves.

Zhou Botong, of course, found the whole thing amusing. The girl kept crying out "Aiya!" as she felt the force of Lotus's swift and unrelenting attack.

"Lotus!" the Urchin cried out eventually. "Be gentle. Let me fight her instead." Having noticed that she did not seem to mind Count Seven and Guo Jing calling her by her first name, he had long since abandoned any sense of caution or feelings of propriety that might have encouraged him to call her Miss Huang.

Guo Jing's thoughts had turned to the idea that the girl might have friends nearby, watching and waiting to attack. He stuck close to Count Seven.

Lotus struck the girl on the shoulder and her left arm hung limp. At this point, Lotus decided to show mercy. "Kneel and I will spare you."

"Only if you kneel too!" the girl replied, swishing her palm in another display of Jade Ripple Palm. Lotus could see that it was the very same technique as taught on Peach Blossom Island, but the wave-like motion of her hand lacked finesse. Lotus's suspicions only grew deeper.

"How do you know Jade Ripple Palm? Who is your Master?"

The young woman smiled. "You can't beat me!"

Lotus raised her left, struck right, jabbed with her left elbow and dipped her right shoulder, all feigned attacks, before sending both hands curving out. This too was an empty attack, but it provided cover for a swift kick. This one was real. As the young woman fell to the ground, she cried out, "A nasty trick!" She scrambled to her feet. "That didn't count! Let's go again."

Lotus would not let her stand, and instead leaped forward, pushing her down. She tore a piece of cloth from the girl's robes and quickly tied her hands behind her back. "I think I just beat you."

"You tricked me!" she kept calling out in reply.

Seeing that Lotus had the girl under control, Guo Jing went outside and jumped up onto the roof. He looked around them, but saw no sign of any other people. He dropped back down and went round the back of the building. The inn stood apart from the other buildings in the village. There was no one else around. He was flooded with relief.

He walked back inside, only to find Lotus holding a dagger before the girl's face. "Who is your Master? Tell me, or I'll kill you." She jabbed the dagger closer as she spoke.

By the light of the candle, it was possible to see a smile trace across the girl's face. It was not bravery or defiance. No, it was a stupid smile, as if she was unaware of the danger she was in. Did she think Lotus was just playing? Lotus repeated her question, but the girl laughed and said, "If you kill me, I'll kill you back!"

Lotus raised an eyebrow. "This girl really is a fool. Let's go and look inside. Brother Zhou, you look after Shifu and keep an eye on her. Come on, Guo Jing."

Zhou Botong waved his hands in protest. "No, I'm going with you."

"I don't want you to come," Lotus said firmly.

Despite his seniority in age and martial capabilities, Zhou Botong did not dare defy the young woman. "That's fine, miss. You decide."

Lotus smiled and nodded. Zhou Botong found two pine branches, lit the ends and waved them in the entrance to the dark hole. The smell from inside was overwhelming. Lotus took one of the smoldering branches and threw it into the darkness. They heard a clatter as it struck a wall on the far side and crashed to the ground. The space was quite small, as it turned out.

Holding up the other torch, she peered inside. All was still, there was no trace of any movement. Unable to help himself, Zhou Botong slipped past Lotus and went inside. Cautiously, Lotus followed behind. The room was cramped.

"I've been tricked!" Zhou Botong cried out. "Not fun!"

Lotus gasped. There, on the ground, lay a skeleton. It was lying face up, its clothes half disintegrated. The ribs were in full view, and two of them had been broken. There was another skeleton in the far corner. It was slumped over an iron chest, a long blade standing tall between its ribs, having penetrated the chest's lid.

Zhou Botong looked around the small, dirty room and appeared unconcerned by the corpses. He waited impatiently as Lotus examined them more closely, but he was too scared to interrupt, lest he anger her. After a while, however, his impatience got the better of him and he asked gently, "Miss Lotus, fine maiden, may I go outside?"

"Fine. Get Guo Jing for me."

The Old Urchin happily retreated and said to Guo Jing, "Come, it's most interesting in there." He did not want to be called back in to keep Lotus company.

Guo Jing entered the darkness. Lotus raised her torch to show him the skeletons. "How do you think they died?"

"Looks like this one died in a surprise attack while trying to open the chest," he said, pointing to the one in the corner. "The other one has two broken ribs, so he was probably attacked by someone with considerable internal strength. A palm attack."

"Yes, but there are some things that don't make sense."

"Like what?"

"The fool out there was using Jade Ripple Palm, a technique from Peach Blossom Island. She only knew six, maybe seven of the moves, but, while she was clumsy in her execution, she clearly knew the theory. Why did these two die here, in this room? What's their connection to her?"

"Let's ask the girl." Having frequently been referred to as a fool, slow and worse, he refused to use the words against her.

"The girl really is a fool—I don't think we will get any sense out of her. Maybe we can make our own investigations, based on the evidence we find here," Lotus suggested. She lifted her torch again and noticed something shiny close to the chest. She picked it up and examined it. It was a small gold plaque, inlaid with a piece of agate the size of a thumbnail. She turned it over. There was an inscription on the back: Bestowed by Imperial Decree upon the Loyal and Great Master of the Martial Arts responsible for defending our Great State, Shi Yanming.

"If it belonged to him, this was a man of great rank," Lotus said.

"A high-ranking official, dying here? That's strange," Guo Jing said.

Lotus went back to the other skeleton, where she noticed something sticking out from between its ribs. She used the end of her torch to prod it, and it fell in a cloud of dust, which died down to reveal a round, flat sheet of metal. She gasped as she picked it up.

Guo Jing looked down at the object in her hand. "Wow."

"You know what this is?"

"Yes, I do," Guo Jing said. "It's an Eight Trigram throwing disc, belonging to the head of Roaming Cloud Manor, Squire Lu."

"It's an Eight Trigram throwing disc, to be sure, but it doesn't necessarily belong to him."

"You're right. The clothes on the bodies have disintegrated. They must have been here for at least ten years."

Lotus did not reply. She was thinking. Suddenly, an idea came to her. She approached the body in the corner, pulled out the blade from the lid and approached the torchlight. There was a character engraved on the blade: Qu.

"The one lying on the ground is my martial brother, Tempest Qu."

"Oh," Guo Jing said, unsure what to say next.

"Brother Lu said that Brother Qu was still alive. But, all this time, he was lying here, dead. Guo Jing … look at his legs."

Guo Jing bent down. "They were both broken. Was it your father who did this?"

Lotus nodded. "Tempest Qu. My father once said that, of all his disciples, it was Brother Qu who had the strongest technique. He was a talented writer, too. He was the one who studied the most with my father…" At that, she ran out of the room. Guo Jing hurried after her.

Lotus ran to the young woman. "Is your last name Qu?"

The girl giggled, but did not reply.

"Miss," Guo Jing tried, more gently, "what is your family name?"

"Family name?" She giggled. "Family name!"

"Hey!" Zhou Botong called out, interrupting them. "I'm hungry!"

"Yes," Lotus said. "We need to eat." She untied the young woman's hands and invited her to eat with them. Unabashed, the young woman smiled and held out her hands to take the bowl.

Lotus told Count Seven about all that she had found in the room. "It looks like some official by the name of Shi killed Brother Qu," Count Seven concluded. "Just before he died, he threw the weapon and killed his assailant."

"Yes, it seems so," Lotus agreed.

Then she presented the blade and the Eight Trigram disc to the young woman. "Whose are these?"

The girl's expression suddenly changed. She tilted her head, as if she was trying to recall something. Then, suddenly, her face turned blank. She shook her head, took the blade and refused to give it back.

"She's seen this before," Lotus said. "But it must have been a long time ago. She doesn't seem to remember where."

After they had finished eating, Lotus settled Count Seven to sleep. Then she and Guo Jing went back into the hidden room to examine the scene further. The key to the mystery would be found in the chest. Carefully, they removed the skeleton on top of it and opened the lid. It had not been locked and was easy to lift.

They held up the torch and peered down. The chest gleamed and shone with pearls, jade and all kinds of other expensive treasures.

Guo Jing was surprised, but only Lotus realized the true value of the objects inside. This collection went far beyond that of her father's. She reached for a handful of pearls and let them pour through her fingers, making a delightful tinkling as they clinked against the other rare items inside.

"There must be quite a story behind all these different treasures. If father were here, he could tell us the origins of each piece." She lifted each one, explaining to Guo Jing what they were. This one is a jade belt loop, this one is a case made out of rhino hide, this is a cup made from agate, a jadeite dish. And so on.

Guo Jing had grown up in the desert, and never in his life had he seen riches like this. People put so much effort into making and collecting these trinkets, but what were they for?

Lotus reached into the chest again and dug down until her fingers touched a piece of solid wood. There was another layer beneath. She pushed away the jewelry to reveal a series of rings, into which she inserted her fingers and lifted the board. The bottom layer contained old objects made of green oxidized copper. She had heard her father describe the history of bronzeware, so she recognized the traditional three-legged Shang dynasty ritual cauldron, decorated with a dragon pattern, as well as the wine vessel from the same era, not to mention the various-shaped vessels characteristic of the Zhou. Her knowledge was scanty at best, but she knew that, if the top layer was worth a fortune, these items were priceless.

At that moment, she realized there was another layer to the chest. She removed the board covering it, only to discover a collection of scrolls. Together, Guo Jing and Lotus unrolled each one. To her amazement, she realized she was looking at the master of Buddhist art Wu Daozi's God Sending a Son. The next was the Tang painter Han Gan's Herding Horses. Together, they unfurled a majestic work by Li Yu, the last Emperor of the Southern Tang, entitled Man Crossing a Secluded River. There were more than twenty scrolls and each one was a treasure by one of China's most famous artists. There were several examples of both calligraphy and painting by Emperor Huizong. Some were by contemporary masters, including painter-in-attendance at the Imperial Court, Liang Kai.

After unrolling a dozen or so, Lotus wished to see no more. She returned the items to the chest, closed the lid and sat down on top, hugging her knees. Father has been collecting all his life, and yet he has nothing like the treasures in this chest. How did Brother Qu get hold of such priceless pieces? And why did he keep them here? She could think of no reasonable explanation.

Guo Jing watched her in silence, not daring to interrupt her thoughts.

"Hey!" Zhou Botong's voice came from outside. "Come out! It's time to visit the Emperor for some of that Contrast of the Five Treasures!"

"This evening?" Guo Jing asked.

"The sooner, the better. I'm not getting any stronger," Count Seven called back.

"Shifu, don't listen to the Old Urchin's nonsense," Lotus replied. "We can't possibly go tonight. We can enter the city tomorrow morning. Any more ridiculous ideas from him and he won't be coming with us to the palace."

"Huh!" Zhou Botong snorted. "Once again, I'm to blame," he said, falling into a sulk.

3

That night, the four of them slept on straw beds laid out on the floor. Early the next morning, Lotus and Guo Jing got up to make breakfast, which they ate with the young woman. Lotus turned the iron bowl to close the cabinet doors, and returned the broken tableware to the shelf. The young girl watched on indifferently as she played with the blade. Lotus gave her a piece of silver, which she took and then tossed onto the table.

"If you get hungry, use that to buy yourself some rice and meat," Lotus suggested.

The young girl just grinned back at her.

A sadness was creeping into Lotus's heart. She must be related to Brother Qu—if not by blood, at least by the bonds of master and disciple. He had definitely taught her those half a dozen moves of Jade Ripple Palm, even if she had not practiced them with care. Had she been this way since birth, or was some traumatic experience, some terrible shock to blame? Lotus was tempted to ask around the village, but Zhou Botong urged them on, and so the four of them climbed up onto the cart and headed for the city of Lin'an.

Lin'an was the largest city in the world, at the time. When the Song court was forced south, it chose the city as the Empire's new capital, bringing all kinds of people and goods from far afield, causing it to flourish even more.

Together, Lotus and the others entered by the East Gate, from where they headed straight for the main entrance to the Imperial Palace.

Count Seven stayed on the cart while the others went to look around. They saw golden nails banged into scarlet doors, painted columns, engraved beams, copper tiles on the roof, and sculptures of flying dragons and soaring phoenixes in all their splendor.

"Wonderful!" Zhou Botong cried, before striding toward the door.

The guards had been watching the old man and the young couple, clutching their weapons. Now, they strode forward to arrest the troublemakers.

Zhou Botong loved to make mischief and he was itching to fight with the sturdy men in their glinting armor.

"Come, let's go!" Lotus cried.

"Why?" Zhou Botong said, staring at her wide-eyed. "What harm can these babies do to the Old Urchin?"

"Guo Jing," Lotus continued, "let's go. The Old Urchin always does as he pleases. We'll ignore him."

Back on the cart, she lashed the whip and the mule lurched forward, pulling them westward. Guo Jing followed behind.

Concerned that he might be about to miss out on something interesting, Zhou Botong ran after them.

Taking them for simple villagers on their first visit to the city, the guards laughed and did not give chase.

Lotus drove the cart to a quiet part of the city and checked they had not been followed, before stopping at last.

"Why didn't we try to get into the palace? Those sacks of rice wouldn't have stopped us!" Zhou Botong said.

"Are we here for a fight, or are we after the food? Our presence would cause chaos in the palace, and then do you think the chef would calmly agree to make some Contrast of the Five Treasures for Shifu?"

"Capturing intruders has nothing to do with the palace chefs," Zhou Botong said.

Lotus was momentarily stumped by this logic, but she did not want to admit it. "There's nothing stopping a chef from catching an intruder," she said hesitantly.

Now it was Zhou Botong's turn to be silenced. "Fine," he said eventually. "Let's say I was wrong."

"What do you mean, 'Let's say'? You were wrong from the start," Lotus retorted.

"Fine, have it your way. Let's say no more about it." Turning to Guo Jing, he said, "Boy, don't be fooled—all women are fiendish. That is why the Old Urchin lives by the motto, 'Never take a wife'!"

Lotus laughed at this. "Brother Guo is a good man. I would never be fiendish toward him."

"Does that mean I'm not a good man?" the Urchin replied.

"You tell me," Lotus said with a smile. "I rather think the reason you aren't married is that no woman can stand your constant troublemaking. Or, what do you say? What's the real reason you don't have a wife?"

Zhou Botong cocked his head, but could not think of a reasonable answer. His cheeks flushed red, then white. Worry spread across his face. Lotus had rarely seen such a serious expression on his face and it took her by surprise.

"Let's find an inn and go back to the palace tonight," Guo Jing suggested.

"Good idea!" Lotus said. "And I will prepare some dishes for you, Shifu, as an appetizer. The real feast is coming tonight."

Count Seven clapped his hands in delight.

They found a small place called the Brocade Mansion, where they settled, and, true to her word, Lotus pulled together three dishes and a soup for her Master. The aroma filled the inn and the other guests were soon asking the innkeeper if there was a famous chef in the kitchen.

Zhou Botong, meanwhile, was still stewing over Lotus's comment that, rather than not wanting a wife, he was unable to find one. He refused to join them. Used to his childish ways, the others merely laughed and ignored him.

After the meal, Count Seven lay down to rest. Guo Jing asked if the Urchin wanted to join him for a walk outside, but the old man was still sulking and would not answer.

"Look after our shifu, then," Lotus said lightly. "We'll be back soon, with presents."

The Hoary Urchin's face lit up. "Promise?"

"When a word bolts, no horse can chase it down."

4

When Lotus left peach blossom Island in the spring to go north, she had passed through Lin'an. She had not dared stay longer than a day, back then, as it was too close to home and she feared her father might find her. This time, the days were long and her mind was unburdened. Hand in hand, she and Guo Jing made their way to the beautiful West Lake.

Lotus glanced across at Guo Jing and noticed the look of melancholy on his face. He was worrying about their Master's health. "Shifu mentioned that there is someone who can cure him," Lotus began, "but he wouldn't let me ask who. From his tone, I'd guess that it's King Duan of Dali. We are many thousands of miles from Dali, but somehow we've got to find him and beg him to save our Master."

"That's wonderful! Do you think we can manage it?"

"I was trying to find a way to ask Shifu while we were eating, but he sensed what I was getting at and clammed up. I'll get it out of him eventually."

Guo Jing knew full well how talented Lotus was at such tasks, and so felt greatly relieved.

As they talked, they came to Broken Bridge, one of the lake's most famous beauty spots. They crossed to its midpoint and looked down at the lotus flowers beneath. Nearby stood a charming little drinking house. "Let's have a cup of wine and admire the flowers," Lotus suggested.

"Yes, let's."

They entered and sat down. The owner brought them wine and a series of delicious dishes, and their hearts felt light. Lotus looked across to the windows on the eastern side and spotted a beautiful screen, covered in a jade-colored gauze. She approached to get a closer look and saw that, beneath the thin layer of material, a poem had been inscribed in the wood. It was called "Wind Enters Pines":

Spring money wasted on blossoming bosoms

and drunken days by the lake.

Riding my white colt, I look up and see

a tavern door

apricot scent layered with drums

a swing in the poplar's shade.

Maidens caressed by the warm breeze,

petals pressing on their hair.

Boats painted in the setting sun.

What feelings that linger must be left for

morrow's fun,

when looking for new jeweled flowers

drunken we will return.

"It's a good poem," Lotus said.

Guo Jing asked her to explain what it meant. The more he heard, the angrier he became. "We are in the capital, the heart of the Great Song, and yet the government officials spend their days drinking and admiring flowers. Don't they care about what's happening to our country?"

"Indeed. They are shameless."

"Huh!" came a voice behind them. "What do you two know? What nonsense."

They turned to find a man of about forty, dressed in scholars' robes and wearing a sneer.

Guo Jing clasped his hands and bowed. "May I humbly apologize? Please enlighten us."

"The poem is by Yu Guobao, a student of the Imperial College during the Chunxi period. Emperor Gaozong came to this very inn, read it and praised it highly. That very same day, he granted Yu a government position, which is every scholar's dream. And here you two are, making a mockery of it!"

"The innkeeper keeps it covered with this green gauze because the Emperor once saw it?" Lotus asked.

The man sniggered. "Ha! Is that what you think? Come here and look carefully at this line. Can you see two of the characters have been changed?"

Guo Jing leaned in close and saw that "drunken we will return" had once been "carrying wine we will return."

"The Emperor commented that this line was somewhat shallow—wretched, even—so he took his brush and changed it. Truly, his was a wisdom and intelligence sent from the heavens. He turned iron into gold." The man nodded in a self-satisfied manner.

Guo Jing, however, was furious. "This is the same Emperor who instructed Qin Hui to kill General Yue Fei!" His leg flew up and smashed the screen. Then he grabbed the man, dragged him forward and, with a splash, dumped him head first in a vat of wine.

Lotus laughed. "I have my own suggestion: 'When looking for new mischief, in the barrel he was turned.'"

The man's head popped out over the rim. "But it doesn't fit the rhythm," he said matter-of-factly.

"And, as for the title," Lotus continued, "instead of 'Wind Enters Pines,' I suggest 'Man Enters Barrel.'" At this, she reached out and pushed his head back under, then flipped their table over with a loud crash. The customers and the innkeeper dashed for the door.

Guo Jing and Lotus were now on the rampage. They broke the ceramic wine vats, pots, and cauldrons. Guo Jing then launched into a move from Dragon-Subduing Palm, unleashing all his strength on one of the supporting columns, causing the roof to collapse. Within moments, the building had been transformed into a pile of rubble.

Laughing, the young couple held hands and walked away. No one knew who they were or where they had come from, and certainly they did not dare to follow them to find out.

"That felt good," Guo Jing said with a smile. "I got all the anger off my chest."

"We must break anything that does not please us," Lotus replied.

"Indeed!"

The truth was, since leaving Peach Blossom Island, they had been through many tribulations. They had been reunited, but their Master was gravely injured and the thought that he might not recover pressed heavy on their hearts. This moment of wanton destruction had provided a brief outlet for their frustrations.

Together, they walked along the shore of the lake. Dotted everywhere were poems—on rocks, on trees, on pavilions and on walls. They spoke of sightseers bidding farewell to the majestic scenery, or else young men professing their love. Guo Jing could not claim to understand their precise meanings, but all the talk of wind, flowers, snow, and the moon affected him. "We wouldn't be able to smash all these, even if we had a thousand fists. Lotus, you've read so many books. What's it all for?"

"There are good poems," Lotus said with a laugh.

"I still think studying how to kick and punch is more useful," Guo Jing said, shaking his head.

They continued walking until they reached the pavilion at Flying Peak. A sign carved in wood, in Han Shizhong's calligraphy, read: Pavilion of the Emerald Hills. Guo Jing had heard of Han Shizhong, the great general who had fought the Jin. Delighted, he ran inside, where he saw a stone stela, upon which was carved another poem:

In uniform beclad in years of dust

I take in the perfume

of the Emerald Hills.

Never could I tire of such beauty

but the moon and the hooves urge me on.

It, too, seemed to have been written by the general.

"This is a fine poem," Guo Jing declared. In fact, he had no idea if it was fine or not, but, if the general had written it and it contained phrases like "uniform beclad in years of dust" and words like "hooves," it had to be good.

"That's a poem by General Yue Fei," Lotus said.

"How do you know that?" Guo Jing asked in surprise.

"My father told me the story. During the eleventh winter of the Shaoxing period, General Yue Fei was killed by Chancellor Qin Hui. Han Shizhong built this pavilion the following spring and carved this poem in his memory. Unfortunately, Qin Hui was still a very powerful man, so Han could not openly acknowledge that the pavilion had been built for the General."

Guo Jing traced his fingers across the carved characters, lost in thought. Suddenly, Lotus tugged on his sleeve and pulled him toward some bushes behind the wooden structure. As they crouched down out of sight, they heard the footsteps of people entering the pavilion.

"Han Shizhong was a hero, of course. His wife, Liang Hongyu, may have started out as a courtesan, but she beat the drum during battle and helped her husband to victory, so she's a true heroine, too."

Guo Jing thought that he recognized the voice, but he could not place it. Then, another man spoke.

"Both Yue Fei and Han Shizhong were heroes, but the Emperor wanted them dead and stripped of their military titles. Yue Fei's killers had no choice but to follow orders. No one can stand against the might of the Emperor."

Yang Kang! Guo Jing was startled by the realization. What was he doing here? Just then, another voice: Venom of the West, Viper Ouyang.

"That is correct. With muddle-heads in power at the Song court now, too, what use are heroes?"

"But, if a wise ruler occupies the throne, then a great man like Master Ouyang would help him immensely in achieving his ambitions." The first voice again.

Guo Jing realized suddenly who it was. The man who had killed his father: the Sixth Prince of the Jin, Wanyan Honglie.

The three men exchanged a few more words and then left, laughing. Guo Jing waited until they were long gone before asking, "What are they doing in Lin'an? Why is Brother Yang with them?"

"Huh!" Lotus snorted. "I knew from the first moment I saw him that this brother of yours was up to no good. You said he was descended from a hero. Well, you have been deceived. Now you know who he really is. If he truly were a good man, he would never associate with such scoundrels."

"I don't understand," Guo Jing replied.

Lotus went on to tell Guo Jing all she had heard at the Hall of Perfumed Snow in the Zhao residence. "Wanyan Honglie brought together Tiger Peng and the others in order to steal the last writings of General Yue Fei. Perhaps they have traced them to Lin'an. If they succeed, then the lowly subjects of the Great Song will suffer untold calamity."

"They cannot be allowed to succeed," Guo Jing said with a shiver.

"But now they have the Venom of the West with them."

"Are you frightened?"

"Aren't you?"

"Of course, I'm scared of the Venom. But we have to … No matter how scared we are, we can't ignore it."

"If you're in, so am I," Lotus said with a smile.

"Then let's follow them."

5

They had been too slow to give chase, and, without any indication of which direction the three men had taken, they were forced to search the city at random. But, with such a large area to cover and the streets so crowded, how could they possibly find them? They walked all afternoon and, as the sky was turning dark, they arrived at the Wulin Park, in front of the main theater and entertainment district of the city. Lotus spotted a shop, the entrance of which was festooned with masks, their features vivid and colorful. Amused, she remembered her promise to buy Zhou Botong a present. She spent five silver coins on ten masks that represented the demon vanquisher Zhong Kui, the divine Judge of the Underworld, the Kitchen God, the Earth God, and other divine soldiers, ghosts and supernatural beings.

As the shopkeeper was wrapping them, the delicious aroma of freshly cooked food came wafting in from the restaurant next door.

"What place is that next door?" Lotus asked.

"Your first time here, is it?" the shopkeeper said with a smile. "Otherwise, you'd know. That is Premium Scholars Inn, one of the most famous establishments in the city. Their food is the best in all the Empire. You can't leave without having tried it."

As soon as the package was ready, Lotus pulled Guo Jing to the entrance of the inn. The building was brightly painted in red and green, and lanterns embellished with jasmine flowers hung from the eaves. The interior was richly decorated. They were greeted by a waiter, who led them down a corridor into a private room set out with the finest tableware. Lotus ordered some dishes and then the waiter left.

Guo Jing looked out into the corridor and, by the candlelight, saw a line of ten or so richly dressed women waiting outside. He was about to ask what they were doing, when, suddenly, Wanyan Honglie's voice came booming from the room next door: "Wonderful! Let's invite them to sing to us while we drink!"

Guo Jing and Lotus exchanged glances. Just as they had stopped searching, they had found them.

A waiter called out. An exceptionally beautiful woman stood up and began to beat a rhythm with a pair of ivory clappers. Then, she sang. Lotus strained to make out the words:

"The Yangtze flows down to

the three Wus,

where the Qiantang River has flourished

since ancient times.

Smokey willows painted bridges,

screens and curtains emerald-green,

a hundred thousand cottages scattered all

around.

Cloud-crested trees stand along the banks

where furious waves churn snowdrifts,

until the river reaches out of sight.

Pearls and gems laid out on stands

to compete with silks and satins.

Lakes and peaks praise each other

as the autumn osmanthus flowers

greet lotus uncoiling for miles.

Tunes play from the northwest by day,

while water chestnut songs interrupt the night

and fishermen smile at maidens

collecting lotus pods.

A thousand banners raised as you arrive

drunken on horseback, you hear flute and drum,

sing praises to the pinky clouds

of a scenery that reminds you of days of old

that you will extol to the court on your return."

Guo Jing did not understand a word of what was being sung, but he did enjoy the gentle rhythm of the ivory clappers and the rise and fall of the flute accompaniment.

"Wonderful!"

"Bravo!"

Wanyan Honglie and Yang Kang declared their praise loudly as soon as the song finished. The woman thanked them profusely and left, along with the musicians. The Sixth Prince must have rewarded them handsomely.

"Boy, did you know that the song we just enjoyed was written by Liu Yong and is called 'Gazing at the Tide'? It has great significance for us Jin."

"No, I didn't. Please tell me more, Father."

Guo Jing and Lotus exchanged glances. Did he call him "Father"? And with such affection? Guo Jing was furious. He wanted nothing more than to go in there, grab him by the throat and demand an explanation.

"As our Empire was beginning to prosper, Our Majesty Emperor Wanyan Liang read this poem by Liu Yong, which praised the beauty and wonder of West Lake. For this reason, he dispatched an envoy south, along with a master painter, who painted the scenery of Lin'an and added Our Majesty riding a horse inside the city walls, at the summit of Mount Wu. Our Majesty then added the following poem:

"Ten thousand miles of road, united by brush,

How can a separate court be named in the south?

I will lead a million soldiers to West Lake,

and alone claim the peak of Mount Wu."

"What heroic ambition!" Yang Kang said.

Enraged, Guo Jing clenched his fist so hard his fingers cracked.

Wanyan Honglie merely sighed, however, and continued, "Our Majesty Emperor Wanyan Liang never realized his vision of sending an army south and taking command of Mount Wu, but it is something we, his children and grandchildren, bear with us and have made real. He once wrote a poem on a fan that went like this: 'With the hilt firmly in my grasp, a cool breeze will engulf the world.' That was the extent of his ambition!"

"With the hilt firmly in my grasp, a cool breeze will engulf the world," Yang Kang repeated.

Viper Ouyang laughed. "One day, the Sixth Prince will stand on top of Mount Wu."

"I do hope so," Wanyan Honglie said quietly. "But there are many eyes and ears about, so let us drink instead." And, with that, conversation turned to the local scenery and customs they had observed as they traveled.

"They sound a bit too comfortable," Lotus whispered. Together, she and Guo Jing slipped out of the dining room and into the yard at the rear of the complex. With a wave of a torch, Lotus set fire to the wooden buildings that surrounded the courtyard.

Within moments, the flames had climbed high and people began pouring outside.

"Fire!"

"We need water!"

Copper gongs were sounding all around.

"Quick, to the front, or we'll lose them," Lotus said.

"Tonight, we must kill that villain Wanyan Honglie!"

"Only after we've made sure Shifu has had his fill from the palace kitchens. Then we can get the Old Urchin to fight the Venom of the West, while we deal with the other two."

"Good idea."

They made their way through the crowd to the front of the inn, just as Wanyan Honglie, Viper Ouyang and Yang Kang emerged. They followed the three men at a distance, along long streets and winding alleys, toward the city's western market, where they entered the Crown and Seal Inn.

Lotus and Guo Jing waited outside, until eventually concluding that the party must be staying there.

"Let's get the Old Urchin and bring him back here," Lotus suggested, and with that they set off in the direction of the Brocade Mansion.

6

As they approached the inn, they could hear Zhou Botong's voice. He was shouting. Fear surged through Guo Jing as the thought hit him: perhaps their shifu's condition had taken a turn for the worse. He rushed forward, only to see Zhou Botong squatting on the ground outside the inn, squabbling with a group of half a dozen young boys. They had been betting who could throw coins the farthest, but one of them was refusing to pay up. As soon as the Urchin caught sight of Lotus, however, he quickly abandoned the fray and went inside.

Once inside, Lotus presented him with the masks. He was delighted and began trying them on, playing the Judge of the Underworld one minute and a demon the next.

Lotus told him of their plan and Zhou Botong quickly agreed. "Have no fear—these fists of mine will make short work of the Venom! I have two techniques I can use."

Lotus recalled the fight on Peach Blossom Island. Afraid that he might reveal moves from the Nine Yin Manual, Zhou Botong had tied his hands and thus had been injured by her father. "The Venom of the West is a bad man. Your martial brother, Master Wang Chongyang, once fought him, so it wouldn't be going against his last decree to use some moves from the Nine Yin Manual."

"No, I can't," Zhou Botong said, looking at her intensely. "I've trained hard for many years; I don't need the Manual."

Count Seven, meanwhile, was still dreaming of the food inside the palace. Waiting until evening was proving arduous. But, at the second watch that night, Guo Jing hoisted his Master onto his back and the four made their way across the rooftops of the city.

The palace towered above the surrounding buildings, and its glazed roof tiles sparkled, making it easy to spot. Before long, they had leaped over the walls and were inside.

Within the complex, guards patrolled the grounds and gardens. But, using their lightness kung fu—under the guidance of Count Seven Hong's whispered instructions—they were able to make straight for the kitchens, located behind the Six Ministries Mount and east of the Radiance Hall, where the imperial family took their meals. The private chambers in which the Emperor conducted official business were adjacent, patrolled by personal attendants, eunuchs and guards. The Emperor had already retired for the night and the kitchen staff had left. As they entered, they were greeted by lit torches, however. Several young palace eunuchs were sleeping on the floor.

Guo Jing helped Count Seven into position on one of the roof beams, while Lotus and Zhou Botong searched the cupboards for food. Before long, they were feasting.

"Old Beggar," Zhou Botong said with a shake of his head, "this food is nothing compared to Lotus's cooking. I have no idea why you insisted on us coming."

"I want to eat Contrast of the Five Treasures. Tomorrow, we'll capture the chef and force him to make it. Then you'll see."

"I still think Lotus is a better cook."

Lotus smiled. She knew it was his way of thanking her for the gift.

"I'll stay here and wait for the chef," Count Seven said. "Since you're already bored, why don't you and Guo Jing leave the palace? Lotus can stay and keep me company. You can come back tomorrow night to collect us."

Zhou Botong reached for the city bodhisattva mask and laughed. "No, I'll stay. I'm going to wear this tomorrow and scare the old Emperor. You two young 'uns keep your eyes on Old Venom. Don't let him get his hands on Yue Fei's book."

"Good idea," Count Seven said. "Go now. But be careful."

Lotus and Guo Jing gave him their word.

"But don't fight him!" Zhou Botong said. "Leave him to me. Tomorrow, I'll get him."

"Of course we won't," Lotus said. "We could never beat him."

Together, the young couple slipped out of the imperial kitchens and through two halls. Suddenly, a cool breeze hit their skin and the faintest sound of trickling water met their ears. A sweet perfume wafted past on the night air. It was as if the palace had transformed into a remote mountaintop.

There must be a flowering garden nearby, Lotus deduced, filled with the most marvelous and exotic specimens. She had to see it. Taking Guo Jing's hand, she pulled him in the direction of the scent. Gradually, the sound of running water grew louder, and they were soon winding among tall pines and bristling thickets of bamboo. Flowers bordered the path and, to the sides, the ground rose into man-made miniature mountains. A beautiful stillness reigned.

Lotus marveled at the scene. The landscaping may not have been as intricate as her father's gardens on Peach Blossom Island, but the plants were more beautiful. They kept walking until they came across a waterfall that tumbled down like the finest woven silk and gathered in a pool, from which an overflow stream carried the water on elsewhere.

Red lotus flowers dotted the surface of the pool, and to one side of it stood an ornate building with the characters Hall of Wintry Jade carved above the threshold. Lotus approached and peered inside. The steps leading up to the entrance were festooned in jasmine, musk vine, hibiscus, osmanthus, and scarlet banana—all fragrant, summer-flowering plants. Orchids and scented prayer beads hung on the back wall inside, and musk melon, lotus root, loquat, and other fresh fruits had been placed on a table in the middle. A fan had been dropped in a chair. This must be where the Emperor cooled down from the day's searing heat, before bed.

"The Emperor certainly knows the good things in life," Guo Jing said.

"Why don't you have a try?" Lotus said, and with a chuckle she pulled Guo Jing down onto the bamboo chaise longue. She then brought him fruit, knelt beside him and said, "Your Majesty, please enjoy."

Guo Jing selected a loquat and laughed. "Please stand."

"An Emperor would never say that. It's far too polite."

"Hark!" A voice interrupted their game. "Who goes there?"

Startled, they scrambled out of the pavilion and hid behind a miniature mountain, listening as the footsteps grew louder. Two sets, but they could hear that the men approaching were not martial-arts practitioners.

The guards ran up to the pavilion, brandishing their sabers, but found nothing.

"A ghost," one of the men said, laughing.

"I've been seeing things for days," the other man replied, as he walked back outside.

Lotus smiled and took Guo Jing by the hand. At that moment, they heard a "Hey!" and then another. The two guards gasped and fell, their pressure points locked. Had Brother Zhou come to cause trouble?

"According to the map of the palace, the building next to the waterfall is the Hall of Wintry Jade. That's where we're headed." It was Wanyan Honglie.

Lotus and Guo Jing dived back down into their hiding place. Shocked, they did not dare make a sound. They peered out and, by the faint flicker of starlight, they saw shadows move across the front of the hall. Viper Ouyang, Tiger Peng, Hector Sha, Lama Supreme Wisdom, Graybeard Liang, and Browbeater Hou.

What are they doing here? Have they too come to steal food from the kitchens?

"I examined the letters Yue Fei left behind, as well as the documents from the Gaozong and Xiaozong reigns. According to what I could work out, the secret writings should be buried fifteen paces east of the Hall of Wintry Jade."

Their eyes followed his finger east. Fifteen paces … was the waterfall.

"Just how he hid a book inside a waterfall is anyone's guess. But that's where it is, according to the documents."

Hector Sha's skills in water were renowned. "Let me look," he said, and, without waiting for any further instruction, he dived straight into the pool. The others waited, watching, until he re-emerged. They rushed forward to meet him.

"Your Majesty, behind the waterfall there's a cave with a locked door."

"It must be inside there!" Wanyan Honglie exclaimed with delight. "I'm afraid that I will have to ask you kind gentlemen to help me open that door."

Keen to show their willingness to serve, the men held their weapons high and ran straight for the waterfall. Only Viper Ouyang stayed by Wanyan Honglie's side. Such an errand was beneath him.

Hector Sha pushed to the front and ducked under the stream. A rush of air hit his face. An enemy attack? He dodged, but someone grabbed his left wrist and pushed him back out, under the waterfall, into Graybeard Liang. Luckily, neither man was injured.

The others looked on in surprise, but Hector Sha was determined to go back. Placing his hands over his face, he entered the waterfall. And, sure enough, another punch came from behind the sheet of water. Blocking with his left fist, he sent out his right. Before he could see who it was, Graybeard had joined him.

A stick swept at shin height, crashing into Graybeard Liang and knocking him off his feet and into the waterfall. Water pounded at his chest, while the stick struck at the soles of his feet, sending him shooting out into the pool.

Moments later, Hector Sha followed.

Dismissing the voice in his head telling him that, if his martial brother was so easily defeated, he would stand little chance, the Three-Horned Dragon, Browbeater Hou, stepped forward. No, he would try. He could see underwater. With a roar, he charged through the curtain of water.

Aware that the situation was precarious, Tiger Peng was just about to rush into the fray when something black and shiny flew over his head, before crashing to the ground. Browbeater Hou cried out. Tiger Peng rushed to his side.

"Shhh, brother, what happened?"

"Damn it! My backside has been broken into four."

Tiger Peng could not help but be amused, despite his astonishment. "Is that even possible?" he asked, reaching out and stroking Browbeater's buttocks. He could only feel two, but he did not dare make a closer inspection. "Who are they?"

"How would I know?" Browbeater huffed in irritation. "I keep getting knocked back out as soon as I go in!"

Lama Supreme Wisdom's red robes fluttered in the starlight as he strode toward the waterfall, before plunging through it. The others listened as his cries rose above the noise of rushing water. It sounded like an intense fight.

Through the curtain of water, they could just about make out the silhouettes of a man and a woman. They exchanged glances. The man was fighting with his fists, the woman with a stick. Then came the monk's roar; he too had been severely dealt with.

"What's that idiot monk doing?" Wanyan Honglie hissed, his brow knitted. "His shouting will attract more guards. Then how will we get the book?"

Just then, a flutter of red came flying out of the waterfall and splashed through the surface of the pond. This was followed by the two copper cymbals the monk had been using as weapons. Afraid that the sound of them landing would alert the guards, Tiger Peng rushed forward to catch them.

A curse from behind the waterfall. Then, a large body.

As the monk came crashing to earth, he managed to steady himself and land on his feet, thus avoiding the same buttock-splitting fate as Browbeater Hou.

"It's the boy and the girl from the boat."

7

Lotus and Guo Jing listened as Wanyan Honglie gave the order to bring him the book. If he were to get his hands on Yue Fei's strategies, the Jin army could use them to invade the south, to disastrous effect. They may have been scared of Viper Ouyang, but they would never have forgiven themselves if they had stood by and done nothing to prevent such a disaster for the common people.

Lotus had first thought of scaring them off, but Guo Jing could see they did not have time for such a plan. Instead, he pulled Lotus with him behind the waterfall. From there, they could ambush the Old Venom. Luckily, the roar of the waterfall ensured that no one heard them slip through it.

They were surprised to find how easily they had repelled Hector Sha and the others. The Transforming Muscles, Forging Bones chapter of the Nine Yin Manual was exceeding all expectations. Lotus was using all the various and fantastic permutations of Dog-Beating Cane, rendering Hector Sha and Lama Supreme Wisdom confused and helpless. This enabled Guo Jing to supply the coup de grâce with his palms.

They knew, however, that, once the others were dispatched, Viper Ouyang would step forward, and there was no way they could defeat him.

"Let's go, and shout as we leave," Lotus said. "That way, the guards will come and drive them off."

"Good idea! You raise the alarm. I'm going to stay."

"But you mustn't fight Old Venom."

"I won't. Go!"

Just as Lotus was about to slip out and scurry away, they heard a snort, followed by a burst of energy that came blasting through the waterfall. Rather than attempting to block it, they jumped aside.

Thwang!

Viper Ouyang had used his Exploding Toad kung fu to send a wave of energy through the cascading water, to crash against the metal door. Water splashed Lotus and Guo Jing where they watched, in astonishment.

Lotus had been struck in the back. Her breathing became labored and her vision blurry. She managed to regain focus, then rushed outside.

"Assassin in the palace! There's an assassin in the palace!"

The nearby guards were awoken with a start. Lotus jumped onto a rooftop and watched the men spring into action. Then she started grabbing tiles and throwing them—Bing! Bing! Bang! Bang!—down below.

"Let's get the girl," Tiger Peng snarled, and launched himself in pursuit of her, using his lightness kung fu. Graybeard Liang leaped up onto a nearby rooftop, trying to block her way.

Wanyan Honglie remained calm, however. He turned to Yang Kang and said, "Son, go with Master Ouyang and get the book."

Viper Ouyang was crouching behind the waterfall. With a grunt, he pushed out another wave of energy and blasted the door inward.

Just as he was about to enter, a shadow flew at him from the side, palm first, in a Dragon Soars in the Sky. In the darkness, he could not make out who it was, but he could tell from the move that it was Guo Jing.

This is my chance to capture the boy and get him to explain the Nine Yin Manual to me, Viper said to himself as he dodged the palm and grabbed at Guo Jing's back.

Guo Jing was determined to stop Viper from getting inside. If he could hold him off for just a few moments longer, it would be long enough for the guards to arrive, and even a martial master of the Venom's caliber would be forced to flee. But Viper appeared to be trying to capture him, rather than hurt him. He brushed Ouyang's hand away with his left and attacked with his right, using Luminous Hollow Fist. This technique may have offered less in terms of strength than the Dragon-Subduing Palms, but it made up for it in its light, swift feints and turns.

"Excellent!" Viper cried, dipping his shoulder and reaching out for Guo Jing's. His movements brought with them a gust of energy like a thunderclap.

Viper Ouyang had spent his time on the deserted island studying the pages Guo Jing had written out for him, but, the more he practiced, the more it felt that something was not right. It never occurred to him that it had been deliberately scrambled. Instead, he had taken its impenetrability for profundity, judging that the manual's teachings required time to be understood. Later, when on the raft, he had heard Count Seven chant some strange language, and he wondered if it might be the key to unlocking the Manual's secrets. Furthermore, Guo Jing's martial skills had improved. It surprised him that the boy had been able to unlock the Manual's powers, when thus far they had eluded him, but he was also pleased, assuming that, now he had his hands on the text, he would, in time, become unassailable.

He had fought Lotus and Guo Jing on the raft and had been close to losing both his life and his reputation. But, now he was in control, he could study the boy's moves in order to help crack the Manual. He would unravel the mystery, blow by blow. In truth, he did not care if he managed to get hold of Yue Fei's writings. His heart was intent on mastering the martial lessons of the Nine Yin Manual.

The lanterns were now lit, and guards were flooding this area of the palace grounds. Yang Kang had followed Viper Ouyang behind the waterfall. He was growing increasingly anxious as the guards gathered, but their attention was taken up by Tiger Peng and Graybeard Liang chasing Lotus across the rooftops. Indeed, they did not realize there was another fight unfolding. Wanyan Honglie knew it would not be long until they were discovered, however. "Quickly!" he cried, waving his hands, unable to stop himself.

"Worry not, Your Highness—I will go in again," Lama Supreme Wisdom announced. With a flick of his left palm, he entered the waterfall.

By now, the bright lights of the lanterns had penetrated the sheet of water, and the lama was able to make out Viper Ouyang and Guo Jing exchanging blows at the entrance to the cave. Yang Kang was trying to sneak around them. But how could he make it past the furious tempest being whipped up by their fast-moving palms?

The lama could stand to watch no more. The situation outside was in the balance, and here was the Venom of the West, indulging in a fight with the boy!

"Let me help, Master Ouyang!"

"Don't come any closer!" came Viper's reply.

Even now, you want to play the hero? The grand martial Master?

He crouched and then launched himself at Guo Jing's left side, aiming for his Great Sun point.

Viper Ouyang was furious. He grabbed the back of the lama's neck and tossed him aside.

This only provoked the lama further. He began shouting and cursing, but the water poured down over his face, into his mouth, and drowned out the words before they were fully formed.

Wanyan Honglie watched the lama fall back, as if riding clouds, until his body sailed into a large flower pot in front of the pavilion, smashing it into little pieces. Thus alerted, the guards came running. The Sixth Prince gathered his robes and slipped behind the waterfall.

The ground was slippery, and, moments later, he lost his footing and crashed to the ground. Yang Kang rushed to help him up. Wanyan Honglie glanced quickly around the cave, assessing the situation.

"Master Ouyang," he cried, "can you get rid of the boy?"

It was a considered tactic. If he begged or ordered, Viper Ouyang might ignore him. A gentle prod, framed as a question, would be more effective, he judged. And he was right.

"Of course I can." Viper squatted, then jumped up with a grunt, both hands extended, in a perfect display of Exploding Toad.

Toads spend long periods hibernating in the mud, building up the nutrients in their body and storing their strength. Once out of the mud, they do not need to eat much. Viper Ouyang's Exploding Toad kung fu followed a similar principle: the greatest part of the work came in gathering the strength before the move. Once launched, it was nigh on impossible to stop, even for those with far greater inner strength. The move was the result of a lifelong cultivation of qi, and not even Count Seven or Apothecary Huang would be able to block it, so what hope did Guo Jing have?

Viper Ouyang had observed the subtleties and exquisite variations in Guo Jing's Luminous Hollow Fist and assumed that this must result from the teachings contained within the Nine Yin Manual. He desired nothing more than to see the moves up close so that he might imbibe as much as he could. Unfortunately, not only had they been interrupted by Wanyan Honglie, but the Sixth Prince had also questioned his skills, thus provoking him into using his most vicious move. Yet Guo Jing was useful to him, he did not want to harm the boy, so he decided at the last moment to pull it back.

Guo Jing, however, was determined to safeguard Yue Fei's writing, even if it cost him his life. He realized that calling on guards to help him would be of little use—how could they hope to overwhelm a master of the wulin and his associates? He watched as Viper Ouyang came flying toward him. It was a ferocious move, he could tell, and he would not be able to block it. With a tap of both feet, he flew up into the air, making sure to land so that he was still blocking the mouth of the cave.

He heard a crash and felt a shudder as rocks and sand fell around him. Viper Ouyang had smashed into the cave wall.

"Excellent!" Viper called out, and, riding on the force of the last move, launched straight into a second.

Guo Jing felt a rush of air swallow him. He knew he was in serious danger now. He launched into Thunder Rocks a Hundred Miles, one of the most powerful moves in the Dragon-Subduing Palm repertoire. This time, he was choosing to meet firm with firm. For a moment, they were both perfectly still. But a moment was long enough for Guo Jing to sense that his inner strength was no match for Viper's. He would be defeated; there was no other way.

Wanyan Honglie watched the two men fight, leap, and dodge. One leaped up, another crouched down, until suddenly they were both stiff, like corpses. Not even their hands trembled. It was as if they had stopped breathing. A strange sight indeed.

Guo Jing was drenched in sweat, and Viper Ouyang could see the fight would result in injury for the young man if it continued. He considered yielding, and indeed softened his stance, but, as soon as he did so, Guo Jing leaned in with as yet untapped strength and pressed against his chest. The move surprised him, even if he was strong enough to avoid injury. The boy had great strength in his palms for such a raw fighter. Viper took a deep breath and launched a counterattack. If he added just a little force, he would be able to knock the boy off his feet or even kill him. But this youth was the key to accessing the profound erudition contained within the pages of the Nine Yin Manual. He would instead wait for the young man to exhaust his powers, and then he would capture him, unharmed.

Wanyan Honglie and Yang Kang watched, wondering how long the two men would continue their fight. For all they knew, only moments had passed, but, as the lamplight brightened on the other side of the waterfall and the cries of the guards grew louder, it felt as though they had been waiting for a very long time indeed.

Suddenly, they heard a loud noise, and two guards burst through the sheet of water. Yang Kang leaped up and punched his fingers through their skulls. Nine Yin Skeleton Claw. The stench of blood assailed their nostrils. Yang Kang drew a dagger from his boot and launched himself at Guo Jing's abdomen.

Already occupied with holding back the Venom, Guo Jing had no way to defend himself. Either he be undone by Viper's Exploding Toad kung fu, or by the dagger. A sharp pain surged from his flank, his breath caught and all he could do was punch down at Yang Kang's hand.

Guo Jing's fist struck Yang Kang's wrist, almost cracking the bone. Yang Kang quickly pulled back, but his dagger had already half-penetrated Guo Jing's flesh. At precisely this moment, the force of the Exploding Toad made itself felt against Guo Jing's chest, and, with barely a grunt, he fell to the ground.

"What a pity," Viper Ouyang muttered, realizing that he had hurt the boy. He would most probably never recover. The Venom turned away. It would be better to go looking for Yue Fei's writings. He glared at Yang Kang. You have done me great harm, he thought. Then he strode into the cave. Wanyan Honglie and Yang Kang followed.

The palace guards came rushing forward. Without turning, Viper reached behind him, grabbed them one by one as they came at him, and threw them aside.

Yang Kang, meanwhile, waved his torch around the cave and examined it. It was covered in a thick layer of dust. It seemed as if no one had entered in a very long time. A small stone table occupied the center of the space, on top of which had been placed a square marble box. A piece of paper had been pasted over the seal. Other than these two items, the cave was empty.

Yang Kang edged closer, to take a better look. The characters written on the paper were too faded for him to make out.

"It must be in there," Wanyan Honglie announced.

Yang Kang grinned and reached for the box. At that moment, Viper gently shunted the boy aside with his shoulder, causing him to stumble and then fall. To Yang Kang's surprise, Viper then took the box.

"Well done, we have it! Everyone out!" Wanyan Honglie cried.

Viper led the three men out of the cave.

Yang Kang saw Guo Jing's lifeless, bloodied body lying just outside the entrance. A brief moment of remorse came over him. "It's your fault for meddling where you're not wanted," he muttered under his breath. "We may be sworn brothers, but you have brought this on yourself."

Remembering his dagger was still lodged in Guo Jing's flesh, he stooped down to retrieve it, just as a figure appeared on the other side of the veil of water.

"Guo Jing! Where are you?"

Yang Kang recognized the voice: Lotus. Startled, he jumped over Guo Jing's body and ran out the opposite side of the waterfall to catch up with Viper Ouyang.

8

Lotus had been running across the rooftops, pursued by Tiger Peng and Graybeard Liang, but, as soon as the guards started to arrive, the two men retreated to the waterfall to wait with the others for Wanyan Honglie to emerge. Together, they had killed a few more guards that had tried to enter while Viper Ouyang was inside the cave.

Worried, Lotus returned to look for Guo Jing. She ventured into the darkness and called his name, but received no answer. She lit a torch in order to see better. Glancing down at her feet, she saw him. Covered in blood. The sight was a jolt to her system. Her hands shook so badly she dropped the torch. It clattered to the floor and went out.

Yet more guards were approaching now, calling to each other to catch the intruder. They were scared by the sight of so many fallen comrades, but they had to make a display of their loyalty to the imperial family.

Lotus knelt down and took Guo Jing in her arms. His hands were still warm, she was relieved to discover. She called his name, but he did not answer. She would have to carry him. Quietly, she picked him up and slipped out through the waterfall, then up and down the other side of the miniature mountain.

By this time, the sheer number of lanterns surrounding the pavilion made it as bright as if the sun had been high in the sky. By the look of it, every guard in the palace complex had arrived on the scene. Lotus was quick, but not even she could get past so many of them undetected. Someone caught sight of her, and the cry went up.

You useless pustules, you should be chasing the real villains, not me, she thought to herself.

Gritting her teeth with the weight, she started running as fast as she could. A few of the guards trained in martial arts gave chase, so she threw a handful of needles behind her. Aiya! The other guards heard the cries and did not dare follow. Instead, they watched helplessly as, still carrying Guo Jing, she jumped over the palace walls and out into the city.

The palace was in a tumult. Was it a coup? Someone trying to usurp the imperial throne? Officials inciting a rebellion? The imperial army was as frightened as the guards, but no one knew what was happening. For the rest of the night, there was no rest inside the palace walls. At daybreak, they sent out cavalry to search the city. They managed to round up a considerable number of "rebels" and "assassins," only to discover that they were merely petty thieves and had not been involved in the previous night's disturbances. They could not return with nothing to show for their efforts, however. They had no choice but to fabricate some confessions and execute a few of the delinquents before returning to the palace to report their findings, thus saving their own necks.

Once clear of the palace walls, Lotus ran without knowing where she was going. She picked her way through the city at random, hoping to throw off any potential pursuers. At last, certain she was not being followed, she turned into a small, dark alley, where she reached to feel for Guo Jing's breath. He was breathing, luckily, but she had lost her torch in the palace and it was too dark to examine the extent of his wounds. The city gates were closed at this hour, but she was worried that he would not make it through the night if she did not carry him to safety, so she began to trace the length of the city walls, looking for an opening. Eventually, she found a narrow gap, allowing her to squeeze through and rush to the run-down inn in the desolate village outside Lin'an. No one would think of searching for the intruders to the palace in that forgotten place.

She shunted the door open and, gasping for breath, placed Guo Jing down. She then took a seat. Before she could get her breath back, however, she was up again, lighting a fire. She took a torch from the blaze and approached Guo Jing.

What she saw shocked her even more than discovering him injured, back in the palace.

Guo Jing's eyes were screwed tight shut, his cheeks were blanched and his breathing labored. Lotus had seen him injured before, but never as badly as this. It felt as if her heart was beating in her throat. She stood over him, clutching the torch, overwhelmed by the extent of his wounds.

At that moment, a hand reached out and took the torch from her. Lotus turned slowly. It was the Qu girl.

Lotus took a few deep breaths. Having another person by her side gave her courage, but, just as she was about to examine Guo Jing's wounds more closely, the light from the torch caught on something dark protruding from his abdomen. It was the ebony hilt of a dagger.

A sudden calm descended over her. Gently, she pulled away the clothes around the dagger to reveal his skin. The blood around the weapon had coagulated. The blade was sunk a few inches into his flesh. Would pulling it out kill him instantly? But the longer she waited, the harder it would be to save him. She clenched her jaw, reached out, then pulled her hand back. She repeated this sequence several times. What should she do?

The Qu girl was becoming impatient. After Lotus pulled back a fourth time, she reached out, grabbed the hilt and yanked the blade free. Guo Jing and Lotus yelped. But the girl merely laughed.

Blood began pouring forth from the wound, like a freshwater spring. The girl was still laughing, and Lotus's shock turned to anger. She struck out with her palm and the girl tumbled into a somersault. Then Lotus grabbed some cloth and pressed it against Guo Jing's abdomen to stanch the flow.

Dropped in their scuffle, the torch went out and all was black. Furious, the girl aimed a kick at Lotus, who did not move, allowing it to connect with her leg. Scared that Lotus might retaliate, the Qu girl ran out.

Outside, she waited and listened. All she could hear were Lotus's quiet sobs. She fetched another torch, lit it and approached. "Did I hurt you?"

The pain as the dagger had been pulled out was enough to wake Guo Jing. He looked up and, in the dim torchlight, saw Lotus kneeling beside him. "The General's writings … Did … they get them?"

Lotus was overcome with relief at hearing him speak. But, given his condition, she did not dare tell him the truth. "Don't worry, they didn't get their hands on them…" But, seeing her hands covered in blood, she felt a lump in her throat choke off the words.

"Why are you crying?" he asked her.

"I'm not crying," Lotus said with forced brightness.

"She is crying," the Qu girl interrupted. "Look. Her face is covered in tears."

"Don't worry, Lotus. The Nine Yin Manual has a whole section on how to treat injuries like mine. I won't die."

These words were like a shaft of light penetrating the darkness. Lotus's eyes twinkled. She turned to the girl and took her hand. "Sister, did I hurt you, just now?"

But the Qu girl was still absorbed by the question of Lotus's tears. "You were crying. Admit it."

Lotus smiled. "Yes, I was crying. You didn't cry. That makes you better than me."

The praise delighted the girl.

Guo Jing, meanwhile, was trying to move the qi around his body, but the pain was unbearable. Lotus had made up her mind. She took out one of her steel needles and began to insert it at various pressure points above and below the wound, both to stave the flow of blood and to reduce the pain. Then she cleaned the wound, sprinkled some blood-clotting powder on it and wrapped it in a bandage. She also gave him a Dew of Nine Flowers pill to relieve what remained of the pain.

"I've been lucky," Guo Jing began. "The dagger may have gone deep, but … but … it didn't hit any organs. I won't die. I think Viper's Exploding Toad could have done more damage. But he didn't use all his strength. I think I will get better. Only, I might have to trouble you for seven days and seven nights."

"Seven years would be no burden if it saves you. You know I'll do it happily."

A sugary rush filled his heart, making his head feel light. He paused for a few moments to calm himself before speaking again: "It's just a pity that the Venom and his nephew were there on the island when Shifu was injured. I could have helped him, instead of worrying about them all the time. He wouldn't be … permanently affected, like he is now."

"We'll use the same method for you as the one you described on the island?"

"Yes. First, we must find somewhere quiet. Then, we must circulate our qi together, just as the Manual describes. We place our palms together and your internal energy will help to heal me." At this point, Guo Jing paused to catch his breath before continuing. "The only hard part is that during each circulation we must keep our palms touching for seven whole days and seven whole nights. Our inner energy, our breathing must become as one. We can talk, but we cannot have anyone else interrupt us. And we most definitely cannot get up to leave. If someone does come…"

It was much like the meditative process that was used for cultivating inner strength, Lotus realized. It had to be done uninterrupted, otherwise the heart and mind would become unsettled and all martial powers would be drained, resulting in serious injury, if not death. That was why martial artists would look for secluded spots at the top of mountains or in the wilderness, or else would lock their doors and not come out. Some even enlisted the help of a strong friend, in case things went wrong.

But where can we find such a quiet place? Lotus thought. I am the only one who can help. We cannot rely on this foolish girl to guard us from any external interference. Indeed, there is more risk that she will interrupt us herself. If only Brother Zhou were back. But then he would hardly be capable of sustaining seven days and seven nights of concentration. If I cannot guarantee success, I might bring more damage upon dear Guo Jing. What should I do?

Lotus was quiet for a moment, lost in thought. Then an idea hit her. Of course! We can hide in the secret room. Cyclone Mei managed to practice her dark arts by herself. And she too hid in a secret, underground chamber.

Dawn was breaking. The Qu girl went to the kitchen to make some congee.

"Guo Jing," Lotus whispered. "Wait here. I'm going to buy supplies and, when I come back, we can start at once."

In the hot weather, rice and cooked dishes would spoil, even if left in the dark room, so she went to buy one hundred jin of watermelon. The farmer helped deliver the load to the inn, where they were placed in a heap on the floor. "We are proud of our watermelon, here, in Ox Village," he said, taking the money. "They are crisp and sweet. One taste and you will surely agree, young miss."

Ox Village? Lotus's heart skipped a beat. This is where Guo Jing's family came from. He must not find out, not until he is stronger. She made a brief reply and escorted the farmer back outside.

When Lotus went to check on Guo Jing, he was sleeping. She checked his bandage, which was still clean.

She approached the cupboard and twisted the metal bowl to open the doors to the secret chamber. Then she started carrying the melons inside, one by one. The only thing that remained was to work out what to do with the girl. Lotus explained to her repeatedly that she must not let anyone know they were there, no matter what was happening outside. Whatever she did, she must not call for them.

The young woman did not understand, but she could detect the seriousness with which the instructions were being given, so she nodded a firm promise. "You want to eat your watermelon in peace, in case someone steals them, and, once you have finished, you'll come out again. I understand. Silly girl won't tell."

"Silly girl won't tell. Good girl," Lotus said. "If you tell, silly girl will be a bad girl."

"Silly girl won't tell. Silly girl is a good girl," she insisted.

Lotus proceeded to feed Guo Jing a bowl of congee, and then she too filled her stomach, before helping him hobble into the dark chamber. As she was about to close the door, Lotus looked up and saw the girl's blank expression. She was watching without comprehension.

"Silly girl won't tell."

Lotus felt a pang in her heart. What a foolish young girl. What if, the first person she sees, she says, "They're in the secret room, eating watermelons. Silly girl won't tell"? The only way to make sure we are safe is to kill her.

Lotus had grown up under a father who cared little for traditional ideas of justice, good and evil. The girl had some kind of close relationship to her martial brother, Tempest Qu, she knew this, but she was also a real and present danger. If there were ten of these silly girls, she would kill them all.

She took the dagger from Guo Jing's belt and stepped back into the room.