The trees on the hillsides were dense and dark. It was

already deep autumn and Heaven's Eye Mountain was

covered in fiery-red leaves and yellowing grass.

Lookouts sent word of the approach of Chen and his

comrades and Zhang Jin and the other heroes came down

to greet them.

Luo Bing was not among them, and Chen's heart missed a

beat, afraid that something had happened to her.

"Where's Fourth Sister?" he asked. "And how are

Brother Wen and Brother Yu?"

"They're fine," Zhang Jin replied. "Fourth Sister said

she was going to get a present for Fourth Brother.

She's been away two days already. You didn't meet her

on the road?"

Chen shook his head. "What present?"

Zhang Jin smiled. "I don't know. Fourth Brother's

wounds have healed well, but he spends all his time in

bed moping. Then Fourth Sister came up with this idea

of going to get him a present. I wonder who will lose

out as a result?" The others laughed.

They made their way up the mountain and entered the

courtyard of a large mansion. Wen Tailai was lying

dejectedly on a rattan couch. They told him briefly

about what had transpired and then went to the room

next door to see 'Scholar' Yu.

As they stepped inside, they heard the sound of

sobbing. Chen walked over and pulled aside the bed

curtain to reveal Yu lying face-down on the bed, his

back shaking uncontrollably. Even girls like Luo Bing

and Zhou Qi rarely cried, and they were shocked and

embarrassed by his behaviour.

"Fourteenth Brother," Chen said quietly. "We've come

to see you. How do you feel? Are your wounds very

painful?"

Yu stopped crying, but did not turn over. "Great

Helmsman, Brothers, thank you all for coming to see

me. Forgive me for not getting up to greet you

properly. My health has improved a lot over the past

few days, but my face has been burnt so badly, it's so

ugly that I cannot face anyone."

Zhou Qi smiled. "What does it matter if a man has burn

marks on his face?" she said. "Don't tell my you're

afraid you won't be able to find a girl willing to

marry you?" Some of the heroes laughed at her lack of

restraint.

"Brother Yu," said Lu Feiqing. "Your face was burnt

while saving myself and Wen Tailai. When people hear

of this act, do you think there is anyone who would

not proclaim you to be a hero? What need is there for

such distress?"

"You are right, uncle," said Yu, and burst into tears

again.

The heroes returned to the main hall. Chen and Xu

talked together in low tones, then clapped their hands

and the heroes stood up.

"Brothers," said Chen. "So far, things have gone very

well for us. But in the future, we will face even

tougher problems. I will now give you your

assignments. Ninth Brother, Twelfth Brother, you two

go to Beijing and see what you can find out about the

Emperor's plans and if he intends to break our pact.

This will be extremely difficult to execute. You must

both exercise great caution." Wei and Shi nodded.

"Now, the Twin Knights," Chen continued. "Please go to

the Southwest and make contact with the fighters in

Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou provinces. Eighth Brother,

you go to Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, Priest Wu Chen

to Hubei and Hunan. Thirteenth Brother and Brother Ma

in Hangzhou will contact people in Zhejiang, Fujian

and Jiangxi, while I would like to ask Master Lu to

deal with Shandong and Henan. I would like Lord Zhou,

Master Meng, Brother Xu and Mistress Zhou Qi to handle

the northwest provinces. Fourth Brother and Fourteenth

Brother will remain here convalescing with Fourth

Sister and Tenth Brother to look after them. Xin Yan

will accompany me to the Muslim areas.

"I am not asking you to begin preparations for an

uprising, but simply to improve relations with members

of the fighting community in all areas and to provide

a basis on which we can act later," he added.

"Absolute secrecy is essential, so do not reveal

anything to anyone no matter how close or respected

they are."

"We understand," they replied in unison.

"In exactly one year's time we will all gather in

Beijing. By that time, Fourth Brother and Fourteenth

Brother will be fully recovered and we can begin the

great task!"

Cheers arose from the heroes. They followed Chen out

of the hall, elated by the prospect of the future.

Only Zhang Jin, assigned by the Great Helmsman to stay

at Heaven's Eye Mountain, was unhappy. Wen guessed his

thoughts, and went over to speak to Chen.

"Great Helmsman, my wounds are almost healed, and

although Fourteenth Brother's burns are serious, he is

recovering quickly," he said. "It is a bit much to ask

us to stay cooped up here for a year. The four of us

would like to accompany you to the Muslim regions. The

trip would also help to take Fourteenth Brother's mind

off other things."

"All right, we'll do it that way," Chen agreed. Zhang

Jin ran joyfully in to tell Yu the news.

Lord Zhou took Chen aside. "Great Helmsman," he said.

"The fact that we have discovered through Master Wen

that you and the Emperor are blood relations is a

matter worthy of great rejoicing. I would like to add

to it one more happy event. What do you think?"

"You wish to hold a wedding for Seventh Brother and

Mistress Zhou, is that right?"

"Exactly," Zhou replied, smiling.

Chen walked over to Zhou Qi, his face wreathed in

smiles, and bowed before her. "Mistress,

congratulations," he said.

She blushed deeply. "What do you mean?"

"I should call you Seventh Sister. Seventh Sister,

congratulations!" He clapped his hands loudly and the

heroes immediately fell silent.

"Just now, Lord Zhou told me he wants Mistress Zhou Qi

and Seventh Brother to be married this evening. So we

have something else to celebrate!"

The heroes cheered loudly and congratulated Lord Zhou

and Xu. Zhou Qi hastily made for her bedroom in

embarrassment.

"Tenth Brother!" Wei called to Zhang Jin. "Stop her.

Don't let the bride escape!" Zhang made as to grab her

and Zhou Qi chopped out with her left hand to fend him

off.

"Help!" he cried in mock surprise, dodging to one

side. "The bride's attacking me!"

A laugh escaped from her as she charged out of the

hall.

Just then, there was the sound of bells outside and

Luo Bing ran in carrying a large box.

"Oh good, everyone's here!" she cried. "What's

happened to make you all so happy?" She looked

enquiringly at Chen.

"Ask Seventh Brother," said Wei.

"What's happened, Brother Xu?" Luo Bing asked, but Xu

was speechless for a moment. "Mm? That's strange. Has

the Kung Fu Mastermind gone silly?"

'Crocodile' Jiang dodged behind Xu and held up his

thumbs and made them bow to each other. "The

Mastermind is getting married today," he said with

glee.

"Oh, how awful, how awful!" Luo Bing exclaimed,

absolutely delighted.

The others laughed. "What do you mean, awful?" asked

'Pagoda' Yang.

"If I'd known, I could have brought a sheep and some

nice things back with me. As it is, I have almost

nothing to give them as presents. Isn't that awful?"

"Will you let us all see what you've brought for

Fourth Brother?" Yang asked.

Luo Bing smiled and opened up the box. Glinting inside

were the two jade vases which the Muslims had sent to

the Emperor along with their request for a truce.

"Where did you get them?" the heroes asked in

astonishment.

"I was chatting with Fourth Brother and mentioned how

beautiful the girl on the vases was, but he didn't

believe me..."

"I'll bet Fourth Brother said: 'I don't believe she is

more beautiful than you.' Am I right?" interrupted Xu.

Luo Bing smiled but did not answer. "Did you go to

Hangzhou and steal them from the Emperor?" Xu asked.

Luo Bing nodded, very pleased with herself. "I got

them so Fourth Brother could have a look. The Great

Helmsman will decide what should be done with them

after that, whether we should keep them or return them

to Sister Huo Qingtong." Wen examined the vases and

tutted in admiration.

"I was right, wasn't I?" asked Luo Bing. Wen smiled

and shook his head. Luo Bing started, then realised

her husband meant that the girl on the vase could not

be more beautiful than she was. Her cheeks flushed.

"The Emperor has many top fighters around him and such

precious items as these vases must have been very well

guarded," said Priest Wu Chen. "How did you manage to

steal them?"

Luo Bing told them how she had slipped into the Yamen,

grabbed a eunuch and forced him to tell her where the

vases were, slipped poison into the food of some of

the guards, and made cat noises to distract the rest,

then grabbed the vases. The heroes praised her

artistry, all except Lu Feiqing.

"Fourth Sister," he said. "You are very brave, but was

it wise to take such a risk alone just for the sake of

a remark you made to Master Wen? As it happened, the

Imperial bodyguards were fully occupied that

particular night searching for the Emperor. If they

had been there, things could have turned out

differently."

"Yes," Luo Bing replied, then turned and stuck out her

tongue at Wen.

The wedding ceremony took place amidst great

merriment, and the next morning the heroes made their

way down the mountain, wished each other well, and

went their separate ways.

Chen and Lord Zhou were both heading for the northwest

and Chen suggested they travel together. But Zhou said

he wished to take advantage of their presence in the

south to visit the Shaolin monastery in Fujian

province whose style of kung fu was related to his

own. So taking his wife and his assistant Meng with

him, he headed south.

Chen, Wen, Luo Bing, Xu, Zhou Qi, Zhang Jin, 'Scholar'

Yu and Xin Yan travelled north through Nanking. By the

time they had crossed the Yangtse, Wen had completely

recovered and Yu was progressing well. As they

continued north, the weather became cooler, the grass

and trees turned yellow as early winter set in. After

passing through Kaifeng, Yu was well enough to ride a

horse, and the eight of them galloped together along

the highway. The north wind blew angrily, throwing

dust and sand into their faces.

Wen, riding the white horse, galloped ahead of the

others and stopped at an inn in a small village and

told the servants to kill a chicken and prepare a

meal, Then he sat down near the door to await the

arrival of his friends. He ordered a pot of tea and

wiped his face with the hot flannel brought out to

him. Suddenly, a figure darted out from a room on the

eastern side of the inn but immediately withdrew on

catching sight of Wen.

About an hour later, Chen and the others rode up and

Wen quietly informed them of what had happened. Xu

looked round towards the room and saw a section of the

window paper was wet with a black eyeball in the

centre which immediately disappeared. He smiled.

"It's a novice," he said. "As soon as he starts, he

reveals himself."

"Go over and see him," Chen said to Xin Yan. "If he

has financial problems, lend him some money."

Xin Yan went over to the room and said in a loud

voice: "All streams under heaven have the same source,

Red Flowers and green leaves are all one family."

This was the Red Flower Society members' catch-phrase

for identifying themselves to other members of the

fighting community. Even if the other party was not an

associate of the Red Flower Society, as long as he

knew the phrase and asked for help, he would receive

it. But all was quiet in the room. Xin Yan repeated

his call, and the door creaked open and a figure

dressed in black with a large hat pulled down low came

out and gave him a letter.

"Give this to your Master Yu."

Xin Yan took the letter and the figure rsn out of the

inn, jumped onto a horse and galloped away. He gave

the letter to Yu who opened it and found the following

written inside:

"What do ugliness and beauty have to do with true

love? I will follow you even over a thousand mountains

and ten thousand rivers. And tell your Great Helmsman

that the Three Devils of Guandong are on their way to

the Muslim regions to get their revenge on Huo

Qingtong for killing their martial brother."

Recognising the calligraphy as being that of Li

Yuanzhi, he frowned and handed the sheet to Chen.

Chen studiously ignored the first sentence, which

obviously dealt with private romantic affairs. But he

immediately informed the others of the news about the

Three Devils of Guandong.

"They are tough fighters," said Wen. "I wonder if she

can handle them?"

"We once watched Mistress Huo fighting with that

Guangdong Devil, Yan Shizhang, and she proved herself

to be a little better than him," Xu replied. "But if

the Great Helmsman hadn't stepped in to save her, I'm

afraid she would have fallen victim to his evil

tricks."

"The eldest of the Devils, Tang Yilei, is very strong,

a formidable man," said Wen.

"Since the Three Devils are already on their way, it

would be best if someone went on ahead on Sister Luo

Bing's horse," Xu suggested. "From the look of things,

the military situation in the Muslim regions is tense,

and Master Muzhuolun and his people must be busy

making defensive preparations. We shouldn't let

Mistress Huo be caught unawares by the Three Devils."

Chen knew he was right, and he frowned silently.

"Great Helmsman, I think it would be best if you went

on ahead," said Xu. "You speak the Muslim language,

your kung fu is good, and the Three Devils have never

seen you before. If General Zhao Wei has not withdrawn

by the time you get there, you can also help the

Muslims."

"All right!" said Chen after a moment's hesitation.
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