The heroes started out for the wolf stockade in high

spirits, singing and laughing as they went. Master

Yuan questioned Chen about the origin of the strange

kung fu style he had used, and Chen gave him a

detailed account of his discovery.

"What an extraordinary coincidence," Yuan said in

delight. "One could never make such a find by

purposely looking for it."

After several days travel, they arrived at the

stockade and climbed up on to the parapet to look

inside. The wolf pack had long since eaten the herd of

animals and were now fighting over the carcases of

their dead comrades, barking and snapping at each

other. The scene was cruellytragic and even the

hardened heroes were shocked. Princess Fragrance could

not bear the sight, and went back down to talk with

the Muslim guards.

Yu pulled Zhang to the edge of the wall, and began to

mumble a prayer: "Oh, spirit of my benevolent teacher,

we have today avenged your death." He reached over and

took the knife Xu was holding, cut the rope binding

Zhang's hands and feet and kicked him off the edge.

Zhang had been seriously injured by Chen's last two

blows, but his Inner Strength Kung Fu was profound,

and he had basically recovered by the time they

reached the stockade. As he fell towards the floor of

the stockade, he knew he had no chance of survival,

but he still had to fight one last time. The wolves

threw themselves at him just before he hit the ground.

He grabbed two of the beasts by their necks and

whirled them round and round, forcing the others to

back off and slowly made his way to the stockade wall.

They knew he would die. Despite their hatred for him,

Chen, Luo Bing and the others with weaker stomachs

could not bear to watch to the end and walked back

down from the parapet.

That evening, after they had set up camp, Chen told

Master Yuan about his meetings with the Emperor Qian

Long. Yuan was amazed by the twists and turns in the

story, and when it was finished, he pulled a small,

yellow cloth bundle from his bag.

"Last spring," he said, handing the bag to Chen, "your

foster father, Great Helmsman Yu, sent the Twin

Knights to see me and asked me to look after this,

saying there were two important items inside. They

didn't say what they were and I haven't opened the bag

to see, but I imagine they must be the evidence the

Emperor wants."

Chen opened the bag and and found a small parcel

tightly wrapped in three layers of water-proof oil

paper. Inside was a tiny box made of redwood. He

opened the lid, revealing two plain envelopes yellowed

with age. Inside the first envelope was a sheet of

paper on which was written: "Master Chen, send someone

over with your newborn son for me to see. Yong Di."

Master Yuan read it, but could not grasp it's

significance. "What does it mean?" he asked. "Why

would your foster father have considered this note to

be so important?"

"It's written by the Emperor Yong Zheng," Chen

replied.

"How do you know?"

"There were many examples of the Emperor's calligraphy

around our home when I was young, so I recognise it

easily. But this note was obviously written before he

became Emperor. Yong Di was the name he used before he

ascended the throne. Also, after he became Emperor, he

would not have referred to my father as 'Master'."

Yuan nodded.

Chen counted off the months and years on his fingers.

"I was born after Yong Zheng became Emperor, and so

was my brother. My sister was born at about that time,

but this letter says: 'Your newborn son'. This is

excellent evidence!"

He opened the second envelope and took out a letter.

As soon as he saw the writing, tears sprang to his

eyes.

"What is it?" Yuan asked.

"This is my mother's writing," he replied. He wiped

away his tears and began to read the letter:

"Dear Brother Yu, our fate has run its course. What

more is there to say of my ill-fated life? All I am

concerned about now is the troubles I have brought

upon you. You are a brave and upright man, but because

of me, you have been rejected even by your own martial

school. Of my three sons, one is in the depths of the

Imperial Palace, one has gone off into the desert, and

the one who is left to keep me company is both stupid

and wicked. It makes me very sad. My youngest son is

very intelligent and has been put under the care of an

excellent teacher. I love and miss him, but I am not

worried about him.

"My eldest son is playing the role of Manchu Emperor

and knows nothing of his origins. Brother Yu, can you

enlighten him for me? To prove it, tell him he has a

bright red birthmark on his left buttock, and he will

have to believe you.

"My strength is gradually failing. Day and night, all

I think and dream of is the times we had together when

we were young. If Heaven has pity on us, we will meet

after death and spend the rest of eternity together as

man and wife. (signed) Sister Chaosheng."

Chen was deeply shocked as he read the letter.

"Teacher," he said, his voice quavering. "Is the ...

the 'Brother Yu' in the letter my foster father?"

"Who else?" Master Yuan replied sombrely. "He and your

mother fell in love when they were young, but things

did not go as they wished, and they were separated. As

a result, he never married."

"Why did my mother want me to go and live with him and

treat him as my real father? Could it be....?"

"I was Master Yu's closest friend, but I only know

that he broke the regulations of the Shaolin School

and was expelled. He would never raise such a

humiliating matter himself and it was difficult for

others to ask him about it. But he was a good man, and

I'm certain he would not have done anything to be

ashamed of." He slapped his thigh. "When he was

expelled, I felt sure he had been falsely accused and

I got together some fighters with the idea of going to

Shaolin monastery and demanding an explanation. It

nearly created a serious split in the fighting

community. But your foster father disagreed

strenuously, insisting that the expulsion was his own

fault and all he deserved. In the end, I did nothing.

But I still don't believe he would have done anything

shameful. I don't know what it could have been." His

lingering anger was still apparent. "After he was

expelled from the Shaolin school, he went and lived as

a hermit for several years. Later he founded the Red

Flower Society."

"But why did my foster father and my mother want me to

leave home? Do you know?"

"What face did I have left when he stopped me from

forcing the Shaolin School to explain?" Yuan replied

angrily. "I refused to have anything to do with him

after that. He sent you to me, and I taught you the

martial arts, so I don't owe him anything."

Chen knew there was no point in questioning him

further. But the key to restoring the throne to the

Chinese race lay with his elder brother's origins.

Even the slightest error, and all their efforts could

be rendered useless. So he decided to first go to the

Shaolin Monastery. He told Yuan of his plan.

"Good idea," the old man replied. "But the monks there

are a strange lot. I'm afraid they won't tell you

anything."

"We'll see," said Chen.

Yuan looked at his pupil thoughtfully. "Both of those

Muslim girls are very nice. Which one do you want?" he

asked.

"The famous Han dynasty general Huo Qubing said: 'How

can I think of marriage until the barbarians are

defeated?' I feel the same way," Chen replied.

Yuan nodded. "That's very commendable. I will speak to

the Twin Eagles so they won't accuse me again of being

a bad teacher."

"Have they said something about me?"

"They accused you of fickleness, of shoving aside one

sister for the other."

Chen remembered how he and Princess Fragrance had met

the Twin Eagles in the desert, and how they had

departed without saying farewell, leaving their

message in the sand. With a shock, he realised what

they had meant.

The next day, Chen informed the heroes of his decision

to go to the Shaolin Monastery in Fujian Province and

bade farewell to Master Yuan, the Twin Eagles, Huo

Qingtong and her sister.

Princess Fragrance wanted to go with him, and Chen

felt very bad about leaving her behind. He had no idea

of when they would meet again, but with Heaven's help,

the great task of driving the Manchus out of China

would one day succeed and they would be re-united. If

it did not succeed, he and his brothers would probably

die and be buried far from the Muslim areas.

"You stay with your sister," Chen said, hardening his

heart.

"You must come back!" Princess Fragrance cried, tears

coursing down her face. He nodded. "If it takes ten

years for you to come back, I'll wait ten years. If it

takes a lifetime, I'll wait a lifetime."

Chen wanted to give her something. He felt around in

his bag and his hand touched on something warm: the

piece of Warm Jade the Emperor had given him in

Haining. He took it out and placed it in her hand.

"When you look at this jade, pretend you are looking

at me," he said softly.

"But I must see you," she replied tearfully.

"What's all this crying about?" he said. "When the

Great Task is completed, I will take you to see the

Great Wall outside Beijing. I promise."

Princess Fragrance stared at him for a moment, then

the trace of a smile appeared on her face. "You're not

allowed to say anything you don't mean," she said.

"When have I lied to you?"

Only then did she agree to stay behind.

They started out. As they rode away, Chen found

himself constantly looking back at the two sisters as

they faded and gradually disappeared on the horizon of

the desert.

The heroes travelled slowly due to Yuanzhi's injuries.

With his master's death avenged, Yu was in high

spirits and looked after the girl with loving care and

attention.

After several days, they arrived back at Afanti's

home. Zhou Qi was delighted to hear Zhang was dead.

Chen wanted Xu to stay with her in the Muslim areas

until the child was born and she had recovered, but

Zhou Qi would have none of it. Apart from the boredom,

she did not want to miss a chance to travel to the

Shaolin Monastery, where her father was staying. The

heroes finally agreed, and Xu rented a carriage for

his wife and Yuanzhi to ride in.

By the time they re-entered the Jade Gate to central

China, the weather was growing warmer and the

beginnings of spring were apparent.
关键字:书剑恩仇录
生词表: