The Legend of the Condor Heroes

Ke Zhen'E was totally caught off guard, he fell sitting down on the ground. Silently he cursed and wondered what kind of malicious method this little demon would use to torture him. His heart was thumping in anger, but he heard her footsteps were getting father away, it sounded like she was leaving the short wall. By now the battle noise was farther and weaker; apparently the Quanzhen Masters had either killed or driven the soldiers away. Amidst this faraway noise he faintly heard Guo Jing's voice calling out, "Da Shifu!" But the call was going farther and farther away, indicating Guo Jing was looking for him in the wrong direction. He wanted to call, but because of his injury he could not gather enough strength, he could not even hear his own voice.

A moment later all he could hear was quietness, with roosters started crowing in the distant. Ke Zhen'E mused, "This is the last time I hear the rooster! Tomorrow all across the Jiaxing prefecture the roosters will crow again, but I will die under the little demon's hands and won't hear it anymore." Thinking to this point he suddenly heard footsteps; three people came over. The first's footsteps were light, he recognized it to be Huang Rong; the other two were heavy, sounded like they were dragging their feet.

He heard Huang Rong say, "This is Daye [lit. big master], quickly lift him up." While saying that she stretched out her hand to massage his body and unsealed his acupoints.

Ke Zhen'E felt he was lifted up by two people and placed on a bamboo stretcher, and then he was taken away. Ke Zhen'E was flabbergasted; he wanted to ask, but suddenly remembered the last time he said something it backfired to him. While hesitating he heard a 'swish!' sound, the man carrying him on the front cried out in pain, "Aiyo!" It sounded like he ate Huang Rong's stick. He also heard her scolding, "Walk faster! What are you mumbling about? You, the soldiers, are used to bully common people; no one is good!" Then another 'swish!' was heard; the man on the back also ate her stick, but this one did not dare to say anything.

Ke Zhen'E understood, "It turned out she captured two soldiers to carry me up; she is so smart to come up with this idea." By this time the arrow wound on his leg was getting more painful, but he was afraid Huang Rong might mock him, so he bit his lips to prevent any moan from escaping his mouth. He felt his body was jolted up and down, he knew he was being carried along a rugged pathway. A moment later he felt tree branches and leaves brushing his head and face, so he knew they were walking in the woods. The two soldiers staggered along, they were gasping for breath, but Huang Rong's bamboo stick kept whipping them mercilessly.

About thirty 'li's later Ke Zhen'E estimated that it was already the end of sixth hour [9 – 11am], early seventh hour [11am – 1pm]; the early morning rain had long gone, the sun had dried out half of his wet clothes. He heard the cicadas calling and the dogs barking, a distant sound of men and women singing in the field; it was a perfect picture of peace and tranquility, a totally different world from the vicious battle at the South Lake this morning.

They stopped by a peasant home to take a rest. Huang Rong bought two big pumpkins from the peasant family, she cooked them with rice, and placed a bowl in front of Ke Zhen'E.

"I am not hungry," Ke Zhen'E said.

"Your leg hurts, do you think I don't know?" Huang Rong said, "What hungry or not hungry? I want you to be in so much pain that you will listen to me."

Ke Zhen'E was very angry; using both hands he lifted up the bowl full of hot steaming pumpkin and threw it to her face. Huang Rong laughed coldly, but one of the soldiers called out in pain. Ke Zhen'E knew she must have moved sideways to evade and the bowl of hot pumpkin must have splashed on the soldier's body.

"What?" Huang Rong scolded, "Ke Daye [Big Master Ke] is giving you the pumpkin to eat, you are not happy? Quickly eat them up." That soldier was afraid Huang Rong might beat him again, but also his stomach was very hungry; so enduring the burning ache on his face he picked the pumpkin up and ate it piece by piece.

This time Ke Zhen'E could not decide whether he should be angry or whether he should laugh; half standing and half sitting he leaned against the bench. He felt very awkward; he wanted to pull out the arrow, but was afraid his blood would spurt out like crazy. She certainly would see someone in danger and not willing to help; most probably she would even mock him.

While he was still hesitating he heard Huang Rong said, "Go get some fresh water, quick!" Her speech was followed by a 'Slap!' apparently she had just slapped one of the soldiers on the ear.

In his heart Ke Zhen'E mused, "This little demon, she is all right as long as she does not say anything; but as soon as she opens her mouth, she makes others suffer."

Huang Rong continued, "Take this knife and cut the clothes around Ke Daye's arrow wound." One of the soldiers complied and did as she said. Huang Rong said, "You, the one with surname Ke, you'd better not cry out in pain; otherwise, your Miss may not pay you any more attention if she is annoyed."

"Who wants your attention anyway?" Ke Zhen'E angrily replied, "Just scram as far as possible." He had not finished his words when suddenly he felt a severe pain on his wound. It seemed to him that Huang Rong had grabbed the shaft of the arrow, and instead of pulling it out, she thrust it into his flesh. Ke Zhen'E was shocked and angry; he was about to throw a punch out when he felt another stab of severe pain and suddenly his palm was holding a shaft of arrow. Turned out Huang Rong had pulled the arrow out and squeezed it into his hand.

Ke Zhen'E heard Huang Rong say, "You move one more time, I am going to slap your ear really good."

Ke Zhen'E knew she was capable of doing what she said she would do. Currently he was not the little demon's match; if she killed him with a blade, then it would be a clean end to his life, but if she ever slapped his face, he would suffer disgrace for the rest of his life, so with a pale face he stayed silent. Hearing some ripping sounds he knew she was tearing several strips of clothes. She wrapped the cloth around his thigh, above and below the wound, tightly to stop the bleeding; and then he felt icy cold water on his wound, apparently she was washing his wound with cold water. He was stupefied, thinking, "If she had evil intention, why did she save me? But if she said she doesn't harbor evil intention, humph, humph, can anything good come out of the Peach Blossom Island's sorcerers, father and daughter? She must have some evil plan for me later on. Ay, these people are so full of craftiness; it is really difficult to guess her real thoughts."

While he was busy with his own thoughts, Huang Rong had already applied some cut wound medicine and wrapped it up properly; he felt his wound was cool and for the most part the pain was gone, but suddenly he heard rumbles from inside his tummy.

Huang Rong coldly said, "I thought you were not hungry, but it turns out you are really starving. Too bad we don't have anything to eat right now. All right, let's go!" With two 'slap, slap' sounds her stick beat the two soldiers, telling those two to lift Ke Zhen'E up and continue their journey.