Jin Yong - The Book and The Sword

Zhou said nothing but sighed once again.

"Seventh Brother, let us go," said Chen. "I've had enough wine.

Xu ignored him. "Why did Lady Zhou leave home?" he asked.

"She blamed me for killing the child. Ah, where could she have run to, all alone? She loved him as much as her own life. I have truly failed her. I had no intention of killing him. It was just a slip of the hand in anger. Once we have rescued Master Wen, I will search to the farthest ends of the earth to find her and bring her back."

As he spoke the door curtain parted and Lady Zhou and Zhou Qi walked in.

"I heard what you said," said Lady Zhou. "I'm glad to see you're willing to admit your mistake. I'm here now, so there's no need to go looking for me."

Zhou was so startled and delighted at the sudden appearance of his wife that he was momentarily speechless.

"Brother Chen, this is my mother," Zhou Qi said. "Mother, this is Great Helmsman Chen of the Red Flower Society." The two greeted each other formally.

"Father, what a coincidence this is," the girl added. "I had heard that the wine here was good and decided to try it. Mother didn't want to come and I had to drag her along. Who would have guessed that you would be here too?"

They all laughed and drank, Zhou Qi was exuberantly happy, and without thinking, she began to talk elatedly about how Lead Escort Tong had been killed and the death of her brother and the burning of the manor avenged. Xu surruptitiously tried to stop her, but she took no notice.

"Brother Xu was very clever to think of a way to deal with them," she exclaimed. "After all the Lead Ecorts had passed out, we jumped in through the window and saved mother. Then he lifted Tong up and let me kill that villainous bandit myself."

Zhou and Chen toasted Xu.

"You have saved my wife and taken revenge on my behalf," Zhou said to him. "I am eternally gratefuly to you."

"How did you two meet up on the way?" Chen asked, and Xu faltered along for a few sentences trying to explain.

"Damn! Damn!" Zhou Qi thought to herself in distress. Her face flushed and an unintentional movement of her arm knocked her chopsticks and winecup to the ground. The winecup smashed loudly, increasing her embarrassment.

Chen examined both their faces carefully, and when they had returned to the residence, he called Xu over to one side.

"Brother Xu, what is your opinion of Mistress Zhou?" he asked.

"Great Helmsman," Xu replied hurriedly. "Please don't mention what she said in the restaurant to anyone. She is a good person and has a pure heart, but if other people knew and added a touch of filth, we wouldn't ever be able to face Lord Zhou again."

"I think Mistress Zhou is an extremely nice person too," Chen said. "How would you like me to be your match-maker?"

"That's impossible," said Xu, jumping up. "How could I be good enough for her?"

"You must not be so modest. You are the 'Kungfu Mastermind', renowned throughout the fighting community. Lord Zhou always speaks of you with the greatest respect."

Xu stood dumbfounded for a second.

"What do you think?" Chen repeated.

"Great Helmsman, you don't know. She doesn't like me."

"How do you know?"

"She said so herself. She said she hated my peculiar ways. We have been quarrelling and arguing ever since we met."

Chen laughed. "So you're certain?"

"Great Helmaman, there's no point talking about it. We cannot risk being turned down."

Just then, a servant entered.

"Master Chen," he said. "Lord Zhou is outside and wishes to speak to you."

Chen smiled at Xu and walked out of the room. He saw Zhou pacing up and down the corridor with his hands behind his back and quickly went up to him.

"Lord Zhou, you should have called for me. Was it necessary to come personally?"

"It's not important," Zhou replied, and with a tug on Chen's arm, led him into a reception room and sat down.

"I have something on my mind and want to ask your help," he said. "My daugher is nineteen this year. She has been a good-for-nothing since she was born, but she is basically a good and sincere person. Her faults are the result of my teaching her something of the martial arts. She has wasted much time and still has no husband." He hesitated a moment before continuing. "Everyone respects your honourable Society's Master Xu. I would like to ask you to become a match-maker and arrange for my daughter's betrothal to him. But I am afraid that with her bad temper, she would not be good enough."

Chen was delighted. "Leave this matter completely in my hands," he said. "You are the Taishan Mountain and North Star of the fighting community, Lord Zhou. It is a great honour for the Red Flower Society that you are willing to give up your daughter to one of our brothers. I will go and see to it immediately."

He ran to Xu's room and told him the news. Xu was so delighted, his heart beat wildly.

"Well," Chen said. "Are you willing?"

"Why wouldn't I be willing?"

"I didn't expect that you'd be unwilling," Chen replied with a smile. "But there is something else. All of Lord Zhou's three sons are dead, and the youngest died because of the Red Flower Society. It looks like the Zhou family line is finished. I wonder if you would be willing to make a concession and become not only his son-in-law, but his son as well?"

"You want me to become a member of the Zhou family?"

"Yes. The first of your future sons would be surnamed Zhou, and the second Xu. It would be a small repayment of our debt to Lord Zhou."

Xu agreed. The two went round to Zhou's room and also asked Lady Zhou to come over. Unaware of what was happening, Zhou Qi followed her in. As soon as Zhou saw the expression on the faces of Chen and Xu, he knew the matter was decided.

"Daughter, go outside," he said with a smile.

"You are trying to deceive me about something," she replied accusingly. "I won't have it!" But despite her words, she turned and left.

Chen brought up his idea of Xu becoming a member of the Zhou clan, and Lady Zhou and her husband beamed with delight.

"We are away from home and I don't have anything worthy to present to you," Zhou said to Xu. "But later I will teach you how to use the Iron Gallstones."

Xu was overwhelmed. He had gained both a beautiful wife and a wise teacher, and he knelt down to kowtow in thanks.

As soon as the news leaked out, the other heroes came to offer their congratulations. That night, a great banquet was held to celebrate, but Zhou Qi hid herself and refused to come out.

During the drinking, 'Melancholy Ghost' Shi returned from his journey to the Muslim regions with Muzhuolun's answer to Chen's letter.

Chen took the letter. Just then, 'Crocodile' Jiang raced in shouting: "The Yellow River 's broken it's banks!"

They clustered round and questioned him on the extent of the disaster.

"The river's already broken through at seven or eight points. In many places the roads are completely impassable," he replied.

They were all concerned about how the peasants were faring. Furthermore, the Twin Knights had still not returned to report on Wen's situation.

"Brothers, we have already waited here several days," said Chen. "Conditions on the road ahead have probably changed, and I am afraid the floods will have ruined our plans. What do you all think we should do?"

"We can't wait any longer," Zhang Jin called out. "Let's get on to Beijing quickly. Even if they are holding Fourth Brother in the Heavenly Prison, we'll still get him out."

The others voiced their agreement, and it was decided to start out immediately. They thanked the local society chief and headed off eastwards.

While on the road, Chen opened and read Muzhuolun's letter. In it, he thanked the Red Flower Society for its warning and said he had called his tribe together and was preparing for war, determined to fight the enemy to the end. The mood of the letter was tragically heroic and Chen's anxiety showed on his face.