Jianghu Qimen Lu

Chapter 6 The Complete Guide to the Martial World

Bai Shandian was satisfied with his answer. He smiled slightly and said, "Chief Huo, it's rare to see someone so concerned for the Beggars' Sect disciples and so worried about the common people! I believe you. I'll immediately go to the General's Mansion to mobilize troops to capture the bandit leader of the Mo Qing Society, Stinky Feet, at the Southern Fist Sect! Come with me; once we've achieved great merit, I'll personally go to the Emperor to claim credit and reward you!"

Huo Shaoyun remained calm and said indifferently, "In truth, fame and fortune are like fleeting clouds, and money is like dirt. We Beggars' Sect members have never valued wealth and honor. We are utterly disgusted by the pursuit of fame and fortune and the scheming and infighting in society. We only wish to live a simple life, free from desires, and fill our stomachs!" He added at the end, "In order to avoid making an enemy of the Mo Qing Society and to prevent future trouble, I ask Lord Bai to keep this a secret!" Seeing his attitude, Bai Shandian had no choice but to give up and said, "Alright, I will definitely keep it a secret for you!" Huo Shaoyun then took his leave.

Bai Shandian considered going to the General's Mansion to mobilize troops that very night, but then he reconsidered: the Xiang family of Jiangnan were, after all, his own family. If Huoshaoyun's words were untrue, wouldn't he be throwing mud at himself? That would make Hongchen and his gang a laughingstock! This matter was of utmost importance; he had to verify it in person before proceeding. He immediately took out a set of night clothes from his inner room, changed, covered his face, and quietly stepped out the door. He leaped onto the rooftops, darted across the rooftops, and disappeared into the vast darkness.

Nan Quan Men is situated on the shores of West Lake, surrounded by the lake on three sides and backed by mountains on the other, boasting beautiful scenery. Even at night, looking out through the gaps in the ancient, towering trees, the distant mountains resemble eyebrows, West Lake is like a mirror, and the Su Causeway is like a ribbon. A grand manor stands before you, with a three-courtyard main hall along the central axis. The last courtyard displays a plaque inscribed with Emperor Qianlong's calligraphy, "Nan Quan Men of the Xiang Family of Jiangnan." Four large lanterns hang on each side of the gate, illuminating it as if it were daytime. The blank white elegiac couplets pasted on the gateposts are clearly visible! Below the steps of the gate, ten burly men dressed in black stand on either side, each carrying a gleaming broadsword, looking fierce and menacing! However, they also wear white armbands on their left arms.

White Lightning slipped into the shadows beside him, leaped across the five-meter-high wall, and peered inside. The eastern part was a garden area, centered around a pond and surrounded by pavilions and covered walkways. The western part, illuminated by twinkling lights, was the residential area, with its elegant, ancient-style houses featuring upturned eaves and arched corners. Behind it lay a man-made hill, with jagged rocks, perilous terrain, and winding paths. Higher up, several pavilions and towers were nestled among flowers and trees, creating a serene and beautiful landscape.

Bai Shandian was naturally familiar with this place. He landed lightly in the courtyard, evaded the patrolling servants, and easily sneaked into the main hall. There, he saw a large, blackened sandalwood coffin placed at the entrance, followed by two smaller coffins. Offerings were laid out on the octagonal table in the hall, and incense was burning. Wreaths and mourning curtains were piled up on both sides of the hall.

Looking further up, a couplet came into view. The first line read: "Her graceful figure commanded the winds and clouds," and the second line read: "Her heroic spirit roamed the world." In the center was inlaid the words: "Her beautiful name will live on forever." In the middle was a portrait of his wife, Xiangquan, framed in an exquisite frame. There were also two smaller portraits—who else could they be but his beloved son and daughter? Their voices and smiles remained, yet they were now separated by death.

Bai Shandian could no longer contain himself; his eyes reddened, and tears streamed down his face. He thought, "Judging from this, it doesn't seem fake. Who would joke about something like this? Damn it, don't let Huoshaoyun fool me!" Without further hesitation, he flashed across the hall like lightning, rushed into the inner room, and went straight to his parents-in-law's bedroom. The lights were still on inside, and there were even people whispering to each other.

Bai Shandian hurried to the window, pressed his ear against the wall, and listened intently. A gruff, old man's voice said, "Jiao'er wants to leave first thing tomorrow morning. He's afraid our son-in-law will come to pay his respects in the next couple of days." Bai Shandian's heart skipped a beat: "That's my father-in-law's voice, talking about me. But who is this Jiao'er?! Judging from his tone, they seem to be very close!"

Then a weak, slightly breathless female voice said, "Master, fighting with feet and fists won't work! They're both our flesh and blood, what can we, the elders, say?" Bai Shandian knew it was his mother-in-law's voice; she suffered from bronchitis. He was both surprised and delighted: "Fist? Could it be referring to my wife? She's really not dead? That's wonderful!"

After a moment of silence, the father-in-law sighed, "Fifteen years! We never imagined our son was still alive. It's truly a miracle! After that incident in West Lake, I was wondering why the authorities couldn't retrieve him. Turns out, our son was rescued by Long Yinjian, the leader of the Mo Qing Society! So many years have passed; if it weren't for the black mole between his eyebrows, we wouldn't have recognized him!"

The mother-in-law was also quite emotional, tears streaming down her face. She said in a trembling voice, "Yes, this old master Long is really a good person. Not only did he take in Jiao'er, but he also taught him such amazing martial arts. Alas, today he fought with Quan'er, and their martial arts were evenly matched. It's rare indeed. Cough cough..." She then coughed violently.

Bai Shandian was overjoyed: "It seems my wife is not dead, and my child is probably alright too! So, this foot is Quan'er's younger brother, Choujiao. It is said that he accidentally fell into West Lake and went missing. It seems that he was rescued and is now the famous leader of the Moqing Society in the martial arts world! But what conflict does he have with Quan'er that caused the two siblings to turn against each other and fight so fiercely just after their reunion?" He calmed his mind and continued to listen to the old couple's heartfelt conversation.

The old father-in-law said with concern, "Are you alright? Why are you coughing so badly? Let me pour you a glass of water so you can rinse your mouth." Before his wife could answer, he quietly got out of bed, and the sound of pouring water could be heard. Soon after, he returned to bed, helped his mother-in-law sit up, and fed her water. The two parents-in-law had a very deep relationship. They often didn't need servants to help them to bed at night. They supported and cared for each other, and over the years they had earned countless respects and envy from their family.

Bai Shandian listened further, but seeing that the elderly couple were only talking about their views on age-related diseases and how to maintain their health—irrelevant topics—he quietly withdrew. Turning his head, he looked at his wife. The house where she used to live with her parents was now locked with a large brass lock; the inside was dark and gloomy. He couldn't help but think, "My wife is covering up the truth, faking her death to commit murder, and even telling everyone that the three of us perished in the fire—what is she trying to do?! Where is she hiding now?"

Just then, a servant's room creaked open, and a male servant, dressed in his robes, went to the toilet. Bai Shandian quickly followed, and before the servant could react, grabbed his shoulder blade and growled in a low voice, "Don't speak loudly, or I'll kill you!" The servant was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground, trembling all over, and said, "Hero... whatever you need, I'll do it...that's all."

Bai Shandian recognized him; he was the most timid servant in the entire household, the one who served his father-in-law, named Afu. He chuckled inwardly and hissed, "You'd better answer me honestly! If you say one wrong word, I'll kill you! Do you hear me?!" Afu hurriedly nodded in agreement.

"Speak! Your mistress, Xiang Quan, is clearly not dead. Why did you deliberately hold a fake funeral? What are you trying to achieve?" Afu was so frightened that he didn't dare to breathe. After a long pause, he stammered, "I... I dare not say. If I do, I'll... die a terrible death!" Bai Shandian tightened his grip and shouted, "If you don't speak, you'll die an even worse death!" Afu suddenly felt a sharp pain, as if his shoulder bone had broken. A fine layer of sweat appeared on his forehead!

He said sadly, "I told you, hero... you have to let go!" Seeing the other party nod, he hurriedly said, "My sect leader was speaking with the master in the inner hall the day before yesterday, and I happened to be serving tea nearby. The master said, 'Quan'er, you should be careful about showing your face in public from now on, so that those people in the martial arts world don't discover your whereabouts and get into trouble!' The sect leader smiled slightly and said, 'Father, our gate is heavily guarded, and no one will break in during the day. But we must be careful at night, as I am worried that some martial arts masters in the martial arts world might sneak in to investigate.' The master sighed and said, 'Quan'er, who leaked the news about that strange book, "The Complete Book of the Martial Arts World"? How did it get into the martial arts world?'"

Upon hearing this, Bai Shandian was startled: "How come the extraordinary book 'Complete Book of Jianghu' still exists? Could it be that the copy given to Emperor Shunzhi back then wasn't a unique one?"