A Bond Undone Read online

  The guest room was elegantly furnished with two beds covered in tasteful linen. The servant brought tea. “Should my lords require anything, please pull the bell by the bed. We shall be at your service instantly. Might I bid my lords to stay in the room during the night?” Softly, he shut the doors.

  “There’s something queer about this place. Why did he say we should stay inside?” Lotus spoke quietly.

  “Maybe they don’t want us to get lost? The manor is huge and the paths are confusing.”

  “It is built in an odd way,” she said, pondering the estate’s layout. “What do you think our host does?”

  “A retired official?”

  She shook her head. “He’s trained in the martial arts. A master, probably. Did you notice the iron Eight Trigrams over the study door?”

  “Huh?”

  “They are set up for the practice of Splitting Sky Palm. Papa tried to teach me, but it was boring; I gave up after a month. I never imagined I’d see it here.”

  “Squire Lu has no ill intent towards us. Just pretend you didn’t see it.”

  Nodding with a smile, Lotus swung her palm in the direction of the candlestick and the light went out with a hiss.

  “Impressive! Was that Splitting Sky Palm?”

  “That’s all I know. Good for showing off, no use in a fight.”

  3

  THE LOW BLAST OF A FARAWAY CONCH JOLTED GUO JING AND Lotus awake, some time after midnight. A moment later, a similar groan sounded from another direction. A call and response, messages passed over distance.

  “Let’s take a look,” Lotus whispered.

  “We were told—”

  “Come on, just a peek.”

  They nudged a window open and peered into the courtyard. Men rushed to and fro, lanterns in hand. A few dark shapes squatted on the roof. Metal glinted in the movement of the lights. Soon, the men in the courtyard marched off in formation. Lotus took Guo Jing’s hand and went to the window on the other side of the room. Not a soul in sight. She leapt out and beckoned Guo Jing to do the same. Instead of following the group, Lotus headed in the opposite direction. The armed men on the roof did not register that the guests had left their room.

  There was not a single path that followed a straight line. They meandered left and snaked right. At every corner of the grounds, the banisters, buildings and vegetation were identical. Guo Jing was hopelessly lost, yet Lotus hurried along without hesitation, as if she was at home. Time and again, Guo Jing was certain that they were at a dead end, but Lotus would burrow into a hidden passage through an artificial mountain, or hop around some shrubbery, and suddenly the walkway reappeared. Every time Guo Jing thought they must have reached the outer perimeter of the estate, Lotus found the entrance to another courtyard or garden lurking behind a screen or a tree. Often, she ignored the open entry of a moon gate and pushed at the wall to reveal a hidden door.

  “How do you know your way around?”

  Lotus put a finger to her lips to silence him. She navigated another half a dozen turns before stopping at the wall of the rear garden. She looked around, counting with her fingers as she paced.

  “Thunder in the First, Reluctance in the Third, Nourishment in the Fifth, Returning in the Seventh, Earth . . .” Lotus’s mumbled calculations made no sense to Guo Jing.

  Eventually, she stopped. “This is it. We can get out from here. The rest of the wall is fitted with traps.”

  When they were safely on the outside, Lotus explained. “The manor was built according to the directions of the sixty-four hexagrams of Fuxi the Sovereign, which stems from the knowledge of the Mysterious Gates and Eight Trigrams. Papa is a master of the subject. This place may confuse most people, but not me.”

  Lotus marched to the summit of the small hill behind the manor for a better vantage point. To the east, a procession of lanterns and torches was making its way towards Lake Tai. She tugged on Guo Jing’s sleeve and they sprinted to the shore together using their lightness kung fu. When they were near the water, they hid behind a large rock.

  Streams of men boarded a fleet of fishing boats anchored along the bank. The moment each man stepped aboard, he snuffed out his light. Now that the last of them had embarked, the lake was plunged into darkness once more, giving the young couple the cover they had been waiting for. They hopped silently onto the stern of the largest barge as it set sail and climbed onto the cabin’s canopy. Peering through the gaps of the woven bamboo awning, they were surprised to find their host’s son, Laurel Lu, seated below.

  The fleet cruised for several li across Lake Tai. Then the seashell horn was heard once more. A man emerged from the cabin to sound a reply from the bow. The barge covered another few li, reaching a stretch of the lake that was dotted with skiffs as far as the eye could see, as if countless ink droplets were splattered across a large piece of green paper.

  Three blasts of the conch and the barge dropped its anchor. A dozen small boats hastened towards it from all directions. Could this be an attack? The idea occurred to the young couple, but Laurel Lu’s demeanour showed no concern.

  The launches closed in and men began to board Laurel Lu’s barge in twos and threes. They bowed deferentially at the young man, then headed to their seats. There was a clear hierarchy: some early arrivals sat down at the back, while others had a place close to the front. In the time it takes to drink a pot of tea, everyone had settled. The men were all dressed as fishermen, but each of them was of a martial bearing, tough and strong. They could not possibly make a living simply from fishing.

  Laurel Lu raised his hand, then spoke. “Brother Zhang, what news?”

  A compact, wiry man stood up. “The Jin envoy will cross tonight. Commander Duan will be here in about two hours. His arrival is delayed because he has been extorting and plundering along the way on the pretext that he was leading the welcome party to receive the Jurchen forces.”

  “How much did he take?”

  “Every town and province offered their respects. His soldiers pillaged every village they passed. I saw his men carrying more than twenty chests, and they appeared very heavy.”

  “What about the troops?”

  “Two thousand cavalry, and as many infantry again. But there aren’t enough boats. Only one thousand infantrymen will make the crossing.”

  “What do you say, my brothers?”

  “We will follow our leader’s order!” everyone cried in unison.

  “They took our people’s livelihood. They seized what belongs to Lake Tai.” Laurel Lu folded his hands on his chest. “It is not against the Way of the Heavens to reclaim what is ours. And we will reclaim it all!”

  The men exploded in cheers.

  “We will distribute half of our booty to the poor living around the lake,” he continued. “The rest will be split among the crews.”

  Now Guo Jing and Lotus understood. These men were pirates, and Laurel Lu was their leader.

  “What are we waiting for?” Laurel Lu roared, before turning back to Brother Zhang. “Take five skiffs as scouts.” The man disembarked with a curt nod.

  He then gave orders to his band of outlaws, assigning the vanguard, the reserve, the water ghosts who would scuttle the Jin envoy’s fleet, squads to seize valuables and to guard the prisoners . . . This softly spoken, scholarly young man was turning out to be a confident commander of ruffians.

  “Surely we’ve already made enough from wealthy merchants?” a pirate said, just as everyone was leaving to take their posts. “Is there really a need to wage war on government officials? What will become of us? The Great Jin Imperial Envoy isn’t the sort of enemy we want.”

  Guo Jing and Lotus recognised the speaker immediately – Ma Qingxiong the Valiant, an apprentice of Dragon King Hector Sha and one of the Four Daemons of the Yellow River. How had he got involved with this band of robbers?

  “Brother Ma, you are new to our crew – and perhaps unfamiliar with our rules.” Laurel Lu’s face darkened and his voice boomed above the jeers of the pi
rates. “Every one of us here is committed to our mission, wholly and with one heart. Our force might be wiped out tonight, but we will give our lives without regret.”

  “Do what you will! I want nothing to do with this cesspool!” The Soul Snatcher Whip, Ma Qingxiong, spun away, looking for a way out of the cabin.

  Two men blocked his exit. “You beheaded a chicken and pledged to share our every fortune and misfortune!” one of them cried.

  “Out of my way!” Ma Qingxiong’s fists shot forward and both men fell to the side. He darted towards the open deck as a rush of air closed in from behind, then he swivelled to dodge, pulling a dagger from his boot and, as he did so, jabbing the blade in a backhand thrust at his pursuer.

  Laurel Lu pushed the knife aside and launched his other palm. Ma Qingxiong twisted and shoved. He raised the knife again.

  At first, Guo Jing was concerned for Laurel Lu. Yet, within a handful of moves, his host’s son was firmly on the offensive and Ma Qingxiong could only shift and swerve in the narrow cabin.

  Why was the Soul Snatcher Whip’s kung fu so weak now? Guo Jing was surprised, but then quickly realised: I was attacked by the Four Daemons all at once, in Mongolia. This time, he’s alone in enemy territory.

  Little did Guo Jing know that it was the tremendous improvement in his own martial skills that made Ma seem less threatening. In the past two months alone, he had learned one of the most powerful forms of kung fu known to the wulin, Dragon-Subduing Palm. Each tip and suggestion he had received from Count Seven Hong as they sparred was a nugget of supreme martial wisdom from one of the greatest masters of the age. Hong’s knowledge was on a level far beyond the collective expertise of his shifus, the Seven Freaks of the South. Though Guo Jing barely understood a tenth of what Count Seven had said, he held each word firmly in his mind. That alone was enough to propel his martial prowess onto an equal footing with his teachers. Ma Qingxiong now seemed trivial by comparison.

  Laurel Lu lunged and threw a left punch – pang! – square in Ma Qingxiong’s chest.

  Ma stumbled and tipped backwards. Two men hacked down with their sabres, killing the Soul Snatcher Whip instantly. Then they tossed his bloodied, lifeless body into the lake.

  “Brothers, let courage be our watchword!” Laurel Lu cried. The pirates returned to their vessels with a rousing roar of agreement.

  Thousands of oars propelled this fleet eastwards. Laurel Lu’s boat held up the rear as they glided across the dark lake.

  The pirates soon spotted a squadron of several dozen brilliantly lit ships sailing west.

  That must be the government convoy! With that thought, Guo Jing and Lotus scaled the mast for a better view. They sat on the yard, shielded from view by the sail.

  The pirate fleet was fast approaching the government ships. A conch blasted from one of the scouting skiffs. Moments later, shouts, clangs and splashes swelled from the lake, drifting faintly towards Guo Jing and Lotus.

  Now, a burst of fire engulfed the Jin flotilla, lapping at the night sky and painting the dark water crimson.

  A group of launches skimmed across the water and approached Laurel Lu’s barge. “We have captured the commander of the warden’s office. His entire fleet is lost, and the Jin infantry with it!”

  Visibly elated, the pirate commander stood on the bow and bellowed, “Keep up the great work! Let’s take the Jin ambassador!”

  “Aye!” The messengers sped away to deliver the order.

  That’s Wanyan Kang! What will he do? Guo Jing and Lotus reached for one another’s hand at the thought of Mercy Mu’s sweetheart.

  Beckoned by a chorus of seashell horns, the marauders raised their sails and sped westwards on the midsummer easterly wind. Laurel Lu’s barge, equipped with the largest sail, pulled ahead, in hot pursuit of the Jin envoy. Guo Jing and Lotus, too, were caught up in the excitement of the chase. Roused by the rushing wind at their backs, the glittering sky and the misty expanse ahead, they felt an overwhelming urge to sing at the top of their voices.

  The sky began to grow light in the east. By now, the pirates had been stalking the Jin fleet for two hours. Two launches glided close to the barge. A pirate on the first waved a green flag, signalling to the larger ship. “The Jin fleet is in sight! Captain Ke is leading the assault,” he cried.

  “Excellent!” Laurel Lu responded from the barge.

  Before long, another small boat slipped close. “The Jin dog has sharp claws! Captain Ke is injured. Captain Peng and Captain Dong are fighting him together.”

  Shortly after, two pirates carried the unconscious Captain Ke onto the barge. Laurel Lu hurried over to check his wounds. Just then, another two launches arrived with Captain Peng and Captain Dong. Both were injured, and they brought the news of the death of Quartermaster Guo of West Dongting. He had taken a spear from the Jin ambassador and fallen into the water.

  “I’ll kill that rabid Jin dog myself!” Laurel Lu roared.

  Guo Jing and Lotus were angry at the brutal way Wanyan Kang dealt with his own countrymen. Yet they were also concerned for his safety, since Mercy’s heart was tied to him.

  “Should we help him?” Lotus asked quietly.

  Guo Jing paused before answering. “We’ll save him, but he must change his ways.”

  Lotus nodded, pointing at Laurel Lu as he boarded a launch. “Let’s follow him.”

  They were ready to leap down onto another skiff when a great roar rose from the lake, spreading from pirate to pirate. The Jin envoy’s fleet was slowly sinking, ship by ship. The pirates, the scourge of the water, had succeeded in their efforts to scuttle the enemy craft.

  The green flag was raised again. A boatswain called from one of the two approaching launches. “The Jin dog is in the water!”

  “We’ve got him!” another reported.

  At that news, Laurel Lu climbed back aboard his own vessel.

  Soon, conch shells were sounding from every direction. The Jin ambassador and his personal guard and staff were brought onto Laurel Lu’s barge by a series of skiffs.

  His hands and feet bound, Wanyan Kang’s eyes were tightly shut, but his chest was heaving. It seemed the young man had swallowed a lungful of water.

  By now, the rising sun had chased away the last traces of the night. Rays of light danced on the waves as if thousands of golden snakes were gliding across the surface of the lake.

  “All captains, return to Roaming Cloud Manor! Quartermasters, lead your crews back to camp. Await instruction for the division of the bounty,” Laurel Lu announced, to thunderous cheers.

  The pirate fleet dispersed in four directions, accompanied by wisps of mist clinging forlornly to the morning breeze.

  Lake Tai returned to its usual peaceful self. Flocks of gulls soared and swooped as the green hills watched on from a distance.

  Guo Jing and Lotus Huang waited until the last pirate had disembarked before jumping ashore. They re-entered the manor the same way they had left, through the rear garden perimeter wall.

  The servants had checked their room several times that morning, assuming they were sleeping in after a long day’s journey. The very moment Guo Jing opened the door, two serving men rushed forward with a breakfast tray of noodles and soup dumplings.

  “Squire Lu would be honoured if you would grace him with your presence after breakfast.”

  Guo Jing and Lotus ate quickly and followed the servants to the study.

  “The wind was high last night. I hope it didn’t disturb your sleep,” Squire Lu said, with an apologetic smile.

  “We slept very well, thank you,” Lotus answered immediately, knowing Guo Jing would not be able to come up with a lie quick enough and might reveal their whereabouts last night. “Was there a ritual to appease hungry ghosts? We thought we heard a conch sounding in the middle of the night.”

  Squire Lu smiled and changed the subject. “I would love your opinion on my small collection of calligraphy and paintings.” He ordered the servants to bring the art works. Lotus admired the scrol
ls one by one; Guo Jing looked on, unsure of what to think.

  Suddenly, the peace in the study was broken by shouts and cries and pounding feet. It sounded like someone was running from a group of pursuers.

  “You’ll never find your way out of Roaming Cloud Manor!”

  Pang! The study’s doors flew open. A man barged in, dripping wet. Guo Jing and Lotus recognised him immediately – Wanyan Kang!

  “Look at the painting, not at him,” she whispered, tugging Guo Jing’s sleeve. They lowered their heads and pretended to study the scrolls.

  Wanyan Kang had fallen into the water when his boat sank. He was unable to swim, and his martial knowledge counted for nothing once in the lake. He had gulped a bellyful of water and passed out. Coming to, he found his hands and feet bound. He had been delivered to Laurel Lu at knifepoint for questioning. The moment the blade was removed from his neck, he had summoned his inner strength and ripped his binds using Heartbreaker Palm. With an effortless swing of his arms, he had dispatched the two guards who tried to restrain him. He sprinted onto the first path that crossed his way.

  Laurel Lu had not been too concerned about his prisoner escaping when he broke his restraints. As Lotus had surmised, Roaming Cloud Manor was built according to the rules of the Mysterious Gates and the Eight Trigrams. Without a guide familiar with the layout or knowledgeable in the underlying concepts behind its construction, Wanyan Kang would never find his way out. However, as they neared his father’s study, Laurel Lu rushed into the room after Wanyan Kang, ran forward and placed himself protectively in front of his father. The pirate captains spread out in a line across the doorway, blocking the study’s only exit.

  Realising he was trapped, Wanyan Kang jabbed his finger at Laurel Lu. “You sank my fleet with your dirty tricks. You’ll be laughed out of the jianghu.”

  “What does a Jin Prince know about the jianghu?” Laurel Lu sneered.

  “I heard that the heroes of the south were honourable men. Well . . . having seen you in action first hand, I can see that this reputation is ill deserved!” The pirates snarled, but Wanyan Kang continued unfazed. “A swarm of cowards and rogues who got lucky through sheer weight of numbers, that’s what you are!”