Book 11 Chapter 6 – Joining Hands in Expelling the Poison
Arriving at the gate, they saw there were already a lot of people in front of it, some were even leaving in disappointment. Turned out Qian Duguan issued an order that starting that afternoon, no outsiders were allowed to enter the city.
Naturally the two boys did not mind it too much. Relying on their current-level of ‘Bird Crossing Technique’ and with the help of a rope, they would be able to easily climb the more-than-ten-zhang high city wall.
While they were looking for a good location to climb into the city, a man, around forty years of age, wearing servant attire, intercepted them and with eyes brimming with expectation he asked them, “I wonder if the two gentlemen know how to treat illness?”
Making his voice hoarse, Xu Ziling replied, “What is it? We do have a little bit of medical expertise.”
The man happily said, “My name is Sha Fu. If Lao Xiansheng [old mister] knows how to treat illness, please come with me, we will definitely not treat Mister meagerly.”
Seeing his polite demeanor, after exchanging a glance, Kou Zhong said in rough voice and rough manner, “Lead on then!”
Sha Fu led them toward the pier; while walking, he grumbled, “We thought that as soon as we enter Xiangyang we would find a doctor, who would have thought that we are not allowed to enter the city? Fortunately I saw two gentlemen carrying mountain herbal medicine basket on your back, so I took my chances and asked, and sure enough I was lucky. May I ask gentlemen’s honorable surname and great given names?”
Stroking his beard, Xu Ziling spoke in an old-man manner, “I am Mo Wei; he is my nephew cum apprentice, Mo Yixin. We are specializing in massaging [tui na] acupoints to treat illnesses, including treating various strange and complicated diseases; hands arrive, illness gone.”
Hearing that, Kou Zhong nearly burst out laughing; fortunately he was able to hold back in time.
Delighted, Sha Fu said, “That’s great! For some reason our Xiao Gongzi [little young master] suddenly having cold and fever, and is delirious. Ay! Shao Furen [young madam] is such a kind person, yet she has to suffer this torment.”
The two boys jumped in fright.
They originally though the sick was a grownup. As long as they could transfer their qi to open his channels, whatever his illness was, his condition ought to improve somewhat, which means they were doing a good thing. But since it was a child, they did not have too much confidence.
The pier was crowded, quite a lot of them were refugees from Jingling. Sha Fu took them toward a skiff anchored on the shore. The servant on board the skiff immediately loosened the rope and rowed the boat toward a medium sized sailing boat anchored on the opposite bank.
The fine rain continued drizzling endlessly, the sky was gradually darkened. Unceasing flow of boats were moving along the river course, taking advantage of still available light to leave Xiangyang before dark.
In time where warlords were setting up independent regimes, where everybody was competing fiercely against each other, owning a ship in peace and quiet was not an easy matter at all.
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling pretended to curiously looking at the ship. They saw several men standing on the deck, staring condescendingly at them with wooden expression.
Very soon the skiff attached itself to ship’s port side. Sha Fu was the first to climb to the deck. “Doctor is here!” he called out.
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling exchanged glances; they could see how anxious the other side was. If they failed to treat their little young master’s illness, their young madam would be very disappointed. But things have come to this, they had no choice but to step onto the deck.
Those five men, who looked like courtyard [i.e. pleasure house] bodyguards, came to meet them. The leader was a tall, lanky middle-aged man, only about a cun shorter than Kou Zhong, but half a head taller than Sha Fu. His face was long and thin, his eyes narrow, his nose crooked; in short, his outward appearance would not incite any compliment from anybody. Moreover, his manner was haughty; he looked at the boys with his slanting eyes, without any hint of friendliness at all.
After introducing the two boys, Sha Fu said, “This is Ma Xuran Laoshi [teacher] …”
Ma Xuran was sizing Kou Zhong up; he coldly cut Sha Fu off, “This Xiongtai [brother] must leave his saber first before he is allowed to enter the cabin to diagnose and treat Gongzi.”
Stunned, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling looked at each other, wondering why he would deliberately make things difficult for them.
One majestic sounding voice came from the cabin door, “Rules are dead. Two friends, please come in, Shao Furen has been waiting anxiously!”
Ma Xuran’s countenance changed slightly; he stared furiously at the man talking at the door, but did not say anything. Obviously he was rather afraid of him.
Sha Fu hastily led the two boys to the door.
The man stepped out of the door. Turned out he was a fat man with fair skin, a bit like a big businessman; but his eyes were sharp, plus although he was fat, he gave the impression that he was a solid and nimble person.
Cupping his fist toward the two boys, he said, “Zaixia Chen Laiman. I wonder how I should address Laozhang [sir] and this renxiong [dear friend/brother].” [Translator’s note: I know that I might irritate a lot of you, but I wanted to show just how complicated Chinese appellation is. From the way they address each other, you can deduce their relation. In this case, Chen Laiman was being very polite without lowering himself.]
Xu Ziling replied in hoarse voice, “Laofu [old man] Mo Wei. This is Laofu’s apprentice and nephew Mo Yixin. Helping people is like fighting fire, is it possible for you to take Laofu to see Xiao Gongzi?” [Interesting fact: surname Mo can also mean ‘do not/there is none who’. Wei means ‘to be/to do’. So Mo Wei can mean ‘nobody’. Yixin means ‘one heart/wholehearted’, so Mo Yixin can mean ‘without aspiration’.]
Chen Laiman gave Ma Xuran a hard stare first before saluting and said, “Gentlemen, please come with Ol’ Chen!”
The two boys and Sha Fu followed him into the cabin. Without saying a word Ma Xuran followed behind them. The atmosphere was very strange.
‘Knock! Knock!’
‘Creak!’ the cabin door opened immediately, revealing a delicate face.
Chen Laiman said, “Xiao Feng, tell Shao Furen, the doctor is here!”
Xiao Feng opened the door wide, she said delightedly, “Doctor, please come in, Shao Furen has been waiting anxiously.”
Chen Laiman signaled Sha Fu with his eyes; the latter immediately said, “Let me wait outside with Ma Laoshi! Doctor Mo, please come in!”
Until now Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling was still unclear of Ma Xuran’s status, but one thing they know was that this fellow’s relationship with the young madam was definitely a problematic one, but Chen Laiman and Sha Fu were on the young madam’s side.
However, their main concern right now was whether they would be able to treat the little young master’s illness; therefore, without any choice they followed Chen Laiman’s fat body stepping into the cabin.
The cabin was quite spacious; it was furnished with interesting and antique-looking bits and pieces, revealing both the scholarly and the richness of the host. Near the door was a set of rosewood furniture, against the window was a large mahogany bed, with gauze curtain hanging above it.
A magnificently dressed woman, who was sitting on the bed, stood up to greet them. Other than Xiao Feng the maid, there was another pretty maid in the room, which was thick with the aroma of herbal medicine.
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling took a closer look, and their eyes lit up. The woman looked around twenty, with a delicate, pretty and pleasant face, and rather petite. Although not nearly as beautiful as Wanwan’s deceptively out-of-the-world beauty, and could not compare with Shang Xiuxun’s proud and aloof elegance, yet she possessed some kind of charm that they felt in their bones, mixed with lovely, yet pitiful, and fascinating good looks, so that others could not help but would be moved by her.
Chen Laiman obviously had deep respect toward this young madam; scrambling one step forward, he spoke gently, “Shao Furen! The doctor has been invited. This is Doctor Mo, and the other gentleman is Doctor Mo’s disciple.”
The young madam’s pretty eyes lit up with hopeful expression. She bowed and said, “Sorry for troubling gentlemen, my child … ay …”
Her voice was soft, gentle and clear, matching her graceful bearing perfectly like seamless heavenly clothes. Especially now that her heart was grieving, she could not even speak without choking, that anybody who heard her could not help feeling pity.
Yet Xu Ziling was thinking about Sister-in-law Zhen, the steamed bun sellers in Yangzhou in the past [see Book 1 Chapter 1]. She often revealed an expression similar to this young madam, an expression showing that she bore life inequities and injustice quietly, and could only complain silently. His heart softened as he asked, “May I ask how did Xiao Gongzi get sick?”
With glistening tears hidden in her beautiful eyes, the young madam hung her small cicada head and said, “This morning, when Xiao Zhu came to wait upon the child, the child was already like this!”
The maid by her side, Xiao Zhu, immediately had her tears flowing down like rain, yet she was sobbing quietly. Her excitement was a bit over the top.
Chen Laiman signaled Xiao Feng to take Xiao Zhu out of the room. He said, “Doctor Mo, please come over. No need to stand on ceremony.”
Kou Zhong secretly gave Xu Ziling a push. The latter had no choice but to suppress his feeling, brace himself and walked over to the bedside.
A three, four years old boy was lying quietly with his eyes closed; his face was so pale that it was scary, his breathing was short but quick, making those who looked at him could not help having tender affection for him.
Xu Ziling sat down on the bed and reached into the cotton quilt to find his little hand.
In an instant he already had his true qi circulated around the boy’s Eight Extraordinary Channels. A hard to describe intuition, so strange that he found it difficult to explain, burst forth in his mind. His heart was greatly shaken as he blurted out, “Xiao Gongzi is poisoned!”
Kou Zhong included, the three other people by the bed was shocked.
Kou Zhong’s shock was different from the young madam and Chen Laiman’s, because only he knew perfectly well that Xu Ziling did not have the skill of diagnosing illness by checking the sick person’s pulse.
The young madam’s face was completely drained of blood; she nearly passed out. The terrified Chen Laiman and Kou Zhong were in predicament; it was improper for them to help her, yet not helping her was even more out of question.
“Madam, please be careful!” Chen Laiman anxiously called out.
Fortunately the young madam quickly recovered; but hot tears flowed down her face as she spoke in distress, “How can it be so? Does Doctor Mo have a way to save him?”
Chapter 6 - Part 2
Kou Zhong hastily consoled her; without thinking he blurted out, “Shao Furen please don’t worry. My uncle has wandered the Jianghu, he is a divine doctor with miracle hands who has tasted all kinds of herbs; he certainly can … hey …”
Chen Laiman took a step forward to Xu Ziling’s side; with deep frown he said, “How much confidence does Doctor Mo have? I have examined Xiao Gongzi’s channels; his channels are indeed in a mess, hurried and brief, yet weak. But looking at his appearance, he does not show the slightest sign of poisoning.”
Xu Ziling’s hand moved down. Sticking his palm to the bottom of the young master’s right foot, he closed his eyes and spoke as if he was in a dream, “This is some kind of strange hot poison, hidden deep inside the inner organs, destroying Xiao Gongzi’s vitality. Laofu is 100% confident that this is so.”
In the end the young madam was no longer able to stand; only by holding on to Xu Ziling’s shoulder with her delicate hands that she barely managed to stand. Sobbing quietly, she asked, “Can Doctor heal him?”
Xu Ziling’s eyes suddenly opened; a divine light flashed, but it died just as quick. Fortunately he had his back against the capable fellow Chen Laiman; otherwise his true nature would have been revealed. “Yixin!” he called in heavy voice, “Press Xiao Gongzi’s tianling acupoint for me.”
Kou Zhong secretly mused, ‘There is no such method of treating illness,’ but naturally he knew that it was the only way they could expel the poison. Moving to the head of the bed, he placed his left palm on the young master’s skull.
Chen Laiman was the first to feel that something was not right. “Does Doctor Ma understand how to circulate qi to expel poison?” he asked doubtfully.
It should be noted that only martial art masters with expertise in internal power who have full control of their own true qi are qualified to transfer the true qi into somebody else’s channels without any possibility that something would go awry.
Using true qi to treat other person’s injury was substantially more difficult; only those with clear understanding of channels and acupoints would be able to do it. Moreover, using true qi to get rid of poison that was hidden in the five viscera and six bowels and that has become an integral whole with the blood vessels, only first class masters would be able to accomplish.
Chen Laiman knew he did not have such ability; hence he raised the question.
What he did not know was that Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling’s innate true qi came from the ‘Secret to Long Life’. Not only their mastery entirely came from groping around, in itself it was effective to heal their own body and repel poison. Hence the reason Shen Luoyan failed to poison them in the past. Naturally Chen Laiman did not know this fact.
Kou Zhong sent his true qi from the top going down. By the time his true qi converged with Xu Ziling’s at the ocean of qi at young master’s dantian, Xu Ziling has regained his composure from the young madam’s ice-cold little hands on his shoulder. He spoke indifferently, “This is the great method to expel poison handed down from my ancestors, it can eradicate any strange poison. Chen Laoshi please be patient for a moment, you will see the result.”
In order to divert their attention so that they would no longer investigate their origin, Kou Zhong interjected, “Who do you think put the poison?”
The young madam straightened up her tender body and moved away her delicate hands pressing on Xu Ziling’s shoulders. She looked at Chen Laiman.
When their eyes met, a look of horror appeared on the two people’s faces. It looked like they were about to talk, but stopped short of speaking out what they were thinking in their mind.
Kou Zhong was astute; he did not pursue.
Meanwhile the two boys’ cold and hot, two streams of vortex of true qi already took shape. In the blink of an eye it rapidly swept past the young master’s entire body.
The young master’s entire body, from head to toe, was severely shaken. “Ah!” he suddenly cried out and sat up, opening his big, beautiful eyes.
Kou and Xu, two boys, were also surprised that their poison expelling divine skill was this effective; they looked at each other in astonishment.
The young madam cried out in delight. She threw herself in total abandon to embrace her precious son, who was staring blankly, not knowing what had happened, demonstrating the true love between mother and son.
Xu Ziling felt as if his palm was pricked by millions silver needles, it was numb and painful, so he knew that the poison has been entire absorbed by his palm. ‘Formidable!’ he silently cried. After thinking for a moment, he circulated his power to neutralize it.
The two boys stood up to their full height to pull Chen Laiman, who was moved to tears and was prostrating himself in admiration, to the corner by the door.
Kou Zhong said, “Who actually did this evil scheme? Will you need us to help?”
Chen Laiman seemed to have a problem that he could not mention; after hesitating for half a day, he said, “Perhaps he was stung by some kind of poisonous mosquito or poisonous bug. Two gentlemen’s great kindness and great benevolence, I, Chen Laiman and Shao Furen, will never forget …”
This moment the young madam carried the young master to the two boys’ presence and have him kowtow to express their gratitude for the great kindness, and thus interrupting their conversation.
Hearing the commotion, Sha Fu, Ma Xuran, Xiao Feng and Xiao Zhu burst into the room. Ma Xuran and Xiao Zhu’s countenance looked a bit unnatural. When Kou and Xu, two boys noticed this, they started to understand that it was a struggle within the family.
When the young master saw Xiao Zhu, he revealed a frightened look. Hiding his face in his mother’s bosom, he pointed at her and cried out, “Niang! Xiao Zhu Jie pricked child with a needle.”
All eyes immediately shot toward Xiao Zhu.
Xiao Zhu’s face turned white, an ominous glint flashed through her eyes.
Knowing something was amiss, Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong, as if unintentionally, shifted their position so that they were standing between Xiao Zhu and the young madam, mother and son.
Letting out a cold snort, Chen Laiman was about to make his move, but Ma Xuran was one step ahead of him; he rushed to pounce on Xiao Zhu, and thus by lucky coincidence blocked Chen Laiman’s path.
This moment Xiao Zhu was standing side-by-side with Xiao Feng at the door; seeing Ma Xuran’s stretched out hand to grab her, without showing any fear, she calmly, but as fast as lightning, shot out of the door, in full display of her brilliant skill.
One after another Ma Xuran and Chen Laiman chased her out; the sound of wind was getting farther and farther away.
Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong looked at each other. With Xiao Zhu’s skill, unexpectedly she was willing to lower herself to be a maid, and even poison the young master; it could be deduced that the family of the young madam’s husband was not an ordinary rich family or nobility, but it involved something that provoked other people to covet it.
Having just recovered from the shock, Xiao Feng and Sha Fu waited upon the young madam and her child and helped them sitting down on the side. Meanwhile Chen Laiman and Ma Xuran came back empty-handed; evidently Xiao Zhu had successfully fled.
With anger and ashamed expression Chen Laiman came to report, “Laiman is incompetence, I am awaiting Shao Furen’s punishment.”
The young madam shook her head and said, “Nobody can anticipate such thing would happen, the blame is not on Chen Laoshi, what punishment are you talking about?”
Seeing Ma Xuran did not show the least bit of shame, Kou Zhong could not help laughing coldly and said, “Just now Ma Laoshi helped Xiao Zhu escaping, what punishment does he deserve?”
As soon as he said that, everybody’s countenance changed; the ugliest naturally belonged to Ma Xuran. Murderous intent flashing through his eyes, he glowered at Kou Zhong and said, “What do you mean by saying that?”
Kou Zhong spoke with disdain, “Upright people don’t do sneaky things, only despicable people doing that kind of thing while pretending to be upright; you secretly let that wicked scoundrel escaped. Ma Laoshi ought to know Jianghu rules. Since you have the guts to do it, you ought to have the guts to admit it.”
Raising both hands, Ma Xuran gathered his power and said with a cold laugh, “My rule says those who speak out to harm others must die, those who babble nonsense will only provoke disaster. Let me see how much weigh do you, these two Jianghu charlatans, carry?”
Frightened, Sha Fu and Xiao Feng quickly hid on the young madam and the young master’s either side. Chen Laiman’s heart was moved; without saying anything he stepped in front of the young madam and the others, ready to protect them.
The atmosphere turned tense.
As if he was oblivious that Ma Xuran was about to make his move, Xu Ziling moved his hunch-backed body to block the door, practically cutting off Ma Xuran’s escape route in this direction.
At the same time Kou Zhong strode two steps sideways to seal off Ma Xuran’s escape route through the cabin window; hence, together with Xu Ziling, he sandwiched Ma Xuran in the middle. He said with a cold laugh, “My rule says that if you can take my three saber strikes, and are willing to kneel down and admit your guilt, then I’ll let you go.”
The young madam buried the young master into her bosom, to prevent him from watching the impending battle.
Ma Xuran turned his eyes around in panic, while groaning inwardly. Just by watching how Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling move, their shenfa and footwork had given him a singular feeling that there was no gap at all that he could exploit. Momentarily he was at a loss of what to do. In that blink of an eye he suddenly felt that he had fallen into an inferior position with the enemy in front and behind him. Not to mention there was this Chen Laiman, whose skill was not inferior to his, standing on the side, staring at him like a tiger watching its prey; so how could he fight this battle?
His mind churning wildly, he suddenly lowered his hands and facing the young madam, he said, “Xuran is innocent, would Shao Furen please decide for Xuran?”
Everyone was stunned by his cowardice; they looked at each other in astonishment.
The young madam heaved a deep sigh and said, “How could humble woman make decision on this kind of matter?”
While Ma Xuran’s countenance was undergoing huge change, Kou Zhong flashed behind him and jabbed a finger on his back. Ma Xuran was hit and slumped down.
Laughing aloud, Kou Zhong said, “Quickly tie Ma Laoshi down, and then have him tortured well. I guarantee we will find out who is behind this. Humph! Really stupid and cowardly.”
Still hugging her beloved child tightly, the young madam’s gaze fell onto Ma Xuran, who was crumpling on the floor. She was about to speak when from the direction of Xiangyang came bursts of shouts.
Everybody was stunned.