The Legend of the Condor Heroes

Zhang Shiwu continued, "We Han Chinese outnumber the NuZhen by more than 100 to 1. If only the Imperial Court start using honest and loyal men, 100 of us going up against 1 of them, how can the Jin army win? The northern half of our country, was literally handed over to the Jins back then by Hui Zong, Qin Zong, and Gao Zong. Those three emperors, from grandfather to grandson, trusted and used corrupted officials, oppressed the masses, and then they either killed or got rid of all the generals that were fighting the Jin. Such a beautiful land, and they just literally put it right into the hands of the Jin. The Jin people just respectfully accepted it. If the Imperial Court continues to do what it did, trusting and using corrupt officials, it is as if they are kneeling on the ground asking the Jin army to come. How could the Jin people refuse?" After hearing that, Guo Xiaotian couldn't help but to slam his hand down onto the table in rage. All of the cups, plates, and chopsticks on the tables jumped from the impact.

Zhang Shiwu continued, "Thinking back, Hui Zong was all set on trying to trying to live forever, becoming immortal. He was surrounded by corrupt and useless officials, Zai Jing and Wong Yu only knew to raise taxes and skim off the top, Tong Guan and Liang ShiChen were eunuchs that only knew how to kiss up, Gao Qiu and Li Bangyan only knew how to mess around and get women for the emperor. The emperor did not attend to official matters at all, if he wasn't going off to visit monks to ask for guidance, then he was traveling around in search of rare and interesting looking rocks. Once the Jins came, he became a turtle and hid in his shell, and passed the throne to his son, Qin Zong. At that time Li Gang was defending the capital BianLiang and fought off the Jin army. But who knew that Qin Zong would believe some rumors that was started by corrupt officials and dismissed Li Gang. On top of that, he did not replace Li Gang with another experienced and able general. Instead he put the defense of the capital in the hands of a self-proclaimed ambassador from the gods named Guo Jing and asked him to invite the armies of heaven to defend the city. The armies of heaven did not show up. How could we not lose the capital? At last both Hui Zong and Qin Zong were captured by the Jin army. These two fools had it coming and got what they deserved, but they also brought disaster to millions of Chinese peasants who did nothing to deserve it." {Note, the Guo Jing mentioned here is not the one in this book. This Guo Jing is a liar and a fool who only hastened the demise of Northern Sung. Surprisingly, all of what Zhang Shiwu says here is historical fact, it is hard to imagine anybody being foolish, let alone two emperors in a row.

Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin are just getting angrier and angrier. Guo Xiaotian said, "We have all heard about the capture of emperors, the Disgrace of the year of Jing Kang, many times. We have also heard about the 'armies of heaven' talk before, but we just thought it was a joke or some unfounded rumor. Could this possibly be true?" Zhang Shiwu answered, "Absolutely true." Yang Tiexin added, "Afterwards Lord Kang declared himself emperor in Nanjing, he had under him such able and loyal generals like Yue Fei and Han ShiZhong. If he had immediately attacked north, although he might not have reclaimed all the lost lands, but recapturing the capital BianLiang should have been no problem. But that hated traitor such as Qing Gui only wanted to negotiate, turning the tables and killed our beloved General Yue." {Note, the year of Jing Kang translates to A.D. 11two7. The Jin demanded that Yue Fei be killed to show that the Sung were sincere in their efforts.

Zhang Shiwu poured a cup of wine for all three of them and downed his cup in one gulp. He went on, "Beloved general Yue once said these two lines, 'Only aspire to eat Tartar flesh, chatting away while drinking Hun's blood.' This poem has conveyed what is in the heart of every Chinese. Ay! This traitor Qing Gui is awfully lucky. Shame that we were born 60 years too late." Guo Xiaotian asks, "What do you mean?" Zhang Shiwu replied, "Then you two heroes would go into Lin'an and kill this traitor. Then the three of us would eat his flesh and drink his blood, no more need for us to come here to eat peas and drink cold wines anymore!" All three of them laughed heartily at that comment.

Yang Tiexin noticed that the kettle has been emptied and ordered another one. The three of them just sat there cursing at Qing Gui. The cripple placed another dish of peas as well as a dish of peanuts. Hearing the three men's spirited cursing of Qing Gui, he suddenly let out a rather loud sneer.

Yang Tiexin turned to him and asked, "Qu San, what's the matter? You don't think we are wrong to curse at Qing Gui do you?"

Qu San, the cripple, answered, "Good cursing! Great cursing! Nothing wrong with that. It is just that I have heard that Qing Gui isn't the chief culprit in killing Yue Fei in order to negotiate peace." The three men asked in surprise, "Qing Gui isn't? Then who is?" Qu San replied, "Qing Gui was the Chancellor, whether or not peace is negotiated he still is and will keep on being Chancellor. But our beloved General Yue only wanted to destroy the Jin and bring back the two emperors Hui and Qin. Once these two emperors return, how do you suppose Emperor Gao Zong is going to keep his crown?" As soon as he finished saying what he said, he turned around and struggled back to that stool, and returned to staring at the sky as if in a trance. Qu San's face looks no older than two0 something, yet he is hunched over with traces of white in his hair. From the back, he looks like an old man.

Zhang Shiwu and the two men look at each other in silence. After a while, Zhang Shiwu spoke up, "That is so true! Sir, you have really said something! The real culprit behind the killing of our beloved General Yue could very well not be Qing Gui, but Emperor Gao Zong. This Emperor Gao Zong is shameless to begin with, he definitely could do something like this!"

Guo Xiaotian asks, "Is he really that shameless?" Zhang Shiwu replied, "Back when the beloved General Yue had just beaten the Jin army in several battles in a row, that along with the rebellion of our patriotic brothers in the north had the Jin army against the wall. The Tartars were just beginning to panic as to what to do when suddenly Gao Zong sent them a letter of surrender and asked for peace negotiations. Naturally the Jin Emperor was ecstatic, but he replied, 'There will be no peace negotiations unless Yue Fei is killed.' So Qing Gui went about his evil plan and our beloved General Yue was killed in the Pavilion of Changes. The beloved General Yue was killed November of the 11th year of Zhao Xing, merely one month later, peace is agreed upon. The boundary between Sung and Jin is drawn at the river Huai and Emperor Gao Zong calls himself a subject toward the Jin Emperor. How do you think the letter of surrender was written?" Yang Tiexin answered, "Shamelessly, of course."

Zhang Shiwu replied, "Of course! I happen to know what was written in the letter. It read, 'Your humble subject asks for forgiveness and mercy. If received, your subject will be forever grateful and humble sons and descendants will forever be of service to your majesty. Your humble subject also swear to give yearly tribute in the amount of two hundred and fifty thousand taels of silver and two hundred and fifty thousand bolts of silk.' Not only did he sell himself as a servant, but all of his descendants as well. His becoming a servant is really no big deal, but is that not like saying that every Chinese is their servants as well?"