THE SMILING PROUD WANDERER by Jin Yong

Grief Part 5

To think that he would torture or kill her, that was just a very ridiculous thing to think of. Moreover, she had seen with her own eyes how well he treated Yingying, so how could his personality be different? Linghu Chong used his sword to stop her husband but he stilled his hand from killing him. On the other hand, her husband, the respectable headmaster of the Five Mountains School, had suddenly become violent and unexpectedly used a despicable method that even people from the unorthodox path despised and other people would mock at. Madam Yue felt completely discouraged. She lightly asked, "Chong'er, was Shan'er really killed by Lin Pingzhi?"

Linghu Chong's heart was pained and tears rolled down his cheeks. He chokingly said, "Disciple... I... I..."

Madam Yue interrupted, "He doesn't regard you as his disciple anymore, but I still regard you as my disciple. If you like, I'm still your Master-Wife."

Linghu Chong's heart swelled with gratitude as he paid his respect to her, while calling out, "Master-Wife! Master-Wife!"

Madam Yue gently caressed his hair and tears were streaming down her eyes. She slowly said, "Was what young lady Ren said true? Did Lin Pingzhi kill Shan'er because he's learned the Evil Resisting Sword Art and has also gone to rely on Zuo Lengchan?"

"That's right."

"Turn around," Madam Yue chokingly said. "Let me have a look at your injuries."

"Yes," Linghu Chong replied and turned around.

Madam Yue tore the gown at his back and sealed four acupoints around his injuries. "Do you still have Heng-Shan School's medicine?"

"I do," Linghu Chong answered. Yingying took the medicine out from his bosom and gave it to Madam Yue.

Madam Yue wiped the blood on his wound and applied the medicine. She then took out a white handkerchief from her bosom and pressed it on his wound. Then she tore a piece of cloth from her skirt and wrapped the injury up. Linghu Chong had always regarded Madam Yue as his own mother, so seeing her treating him like this, he was greatly comforted and forgot all the pain from his injury.

"In the future," Madam Yue said. "You will of course kill Lin Pingzhi to avenge Shan'er."

With tears in his eyes, Linghu Chong said, "Little martial sister... Little martial sister... Just before she died, she asked Son to look after Lin Pingzhi. Son couldn't bear hurting her so I promised her. This matter... This is a really difficult matter."

Madam Yue let out a really long sigh and said, "Retribution! Retribution!" She then said, "Chong'er, you cannot be too good to other people when dealing with them in the future!"

"Yes!"

Suddenly, he felt something warm flowing down the back of his neck. He turned his head around and saw Madam Yue's face was pale. Startled, he called out, "Master-Wife, Master-Wife!"

When he stood up to support her, he saw a dagger sticking out of her chest. The dagger had pierced her heart. She had already passed away. Linghu Chong was dumbfounded and he wanted to call out but no sound was coming out of his mouth. Yingying was also alarmed. But because she had no relationship with Madam Yue, she was just startled and feeling pitiful but not mournful. She went besides Linghu Chong to hold him, and after some time, Linghu Chong started crying. Bao Dachu saw the two young lovers had met with a mournful loss and that they would have a lot of things to say to each other, so he didn't dare to disturb them. He was also afraid that Yingying would ask the origin of the trap so the six of them needed to consult each other first on what to say to deceive her. So they carried Yue Buqun up and retreated far away.

"Where... Where are they taking my master?" Linghu Chong asked.

"You're still calling him master?" Yingying asked.

"Ai, I'm very accustomed to it. Why did Master-Wife have to commit suicide? Why did... why did she have to kill herself?"

Yingying answered with hatred in her voice, "Of course it's all because of that traitor Yue Buqun. Married to such a despicable and shameless husband, if she can't kill him, then it's better to commit suicide. Let's kill Yue Buqun quickly and avenge your Master-Wife."

Linghu Chong hesitantly said, "You're saying we should kill him? He was once my master and he brought me up."

"Even though he's your master and he's also brought you up, he's tried to kill you a few times already. The love and hate between you two have been wiped out a long time ago. But you haven't repaid the kindness shown by your Master-Wife. Didn't your Master-Wife die under his hand?"

Linghu Chong sighed and mournfully said, "My Master-Wife's kindness will be difficult to repay in my lifetime. Even though there's nothing between Yue Buqun and I anymore, I still can't kill him."

"It doesn't have to be you." Yingying then raised her voice and called out, "Elder Bao!"

"Yes, young lady," Elder Bao loudly answered and walked over along with Elder Mo and the other people.

"Did my father send you to handle things here?"

Bao Dachu bowed and replied, "Yes, Chief commanded Subordinate along with Elder Ge, Du, and Mo to lead ten brothers to think of a way to capture Yue Buqun and bring him back to the altar."

"Where's Elder Ge and Du?"

"More than four hours ago they went to lead Yue Buqun here. We haven't seen them since, I'm afraid... I'm afraid..."

"Search Yue Buqun's body."

"Yes!" Bao Dachu acknowledged and searched Yue Buqun's body. From Yue Buqun's bosom, he took out an embroidered flag, which was the five mountains sword schools alliance's flag, around ten gold and silver taels, and two copper plates. Bao Dachu was indignant as he reported, "Reporting to young lady: Elder Ge and Du have definitely met with this bastard's violent hand. These are the two elders' sect plate." As he said this, he lifted his leg and gave a hard kick to Yue Buqun's waist.

"Don't harm him," Linghu Chong shouted.

"Yes," Bao Dachu respectfully answered.

"Bring some cold water and wake him up," Yingying ordered.

Elder Mo took out the water canteen on his waist, opened the lid, and poured the cold water on Yue Buqun's head. After some time, Yue Buqun groaned and opened his eyes. He felt terrible pain on his head and waist, and groaned again.

Yingying inquired, "Person surnamed Yue, did you kill Elder Ge and Du from my sect?"

Bao Dachu picked up the two copper plates and tossed them up repeatedly making a 'zheng, zheng' noise.

Maybe Yue Buqun didn't feel he would be lucky enough to escape with his life so he scolded, "I killed them. All the demonic disciples from the Devil Sect must be executed."

Bao Dachu wanted to kick him again, but he considered the depth of Linghu Chong's friendship with Chief and also of the fact that Linghu Chong was going to be Young Lady's future husband. Therefore, since Linghu Chong had already said 'don't harm him', he didn't dare to disobey his order.

Yingying coldly laughed. "You're the headmaster of an orthodox sect but when you handle things, you're a hundred times more wicked than the Divine Sun Moon Sect's people. But you still have the face to scold us as the demonic disciples. Even your wife hated you so bitterly that she'd rather commit suicide than to continue being your wife. Do you still have the face to live in this world?"

Yue Buqun scolded, "Little witch, you're speaking nonsense! My wife was clearly killed by you but you're trying to slander me by saying she killed herself."

"Brother Chong, listen to him," Yingying said. "He's so shameless,"

Linghu Chong spoke indistinctly, "Yingying, I'd like to ask you a favour."

"You want me to release him? I'm afraid it's easy to capture a tiger but it'll be hard release it. This person's heart is very calculating and filled with hatred. His martial art is also very strong. Later on, when he find you again and we might not be as lucky as today."

"We'll let him go today. Our relationship as master and disciple finishes today. I already know all of his sword art in my mind. If he dares to find me again, then things won't go well for him."

Yingying knew it wasn't easy at all for him to kill Yue Buqun. But if from now on Linghu Chong didn't care about their old relationship anymore, then he wouldn't be afraid of facing Yue Buqun again. "Alright, we'll spare his life today. Elder Bao, Elder Mo, spread the word in Jianghu of how we have spared Yue Buqun's life. Also say how Yue Buqun has cut off his own limb to learn the demonical sword art, and that he's now not male not female. Let all the heroes in the realm hear about this."

Bao Dachu and Elder Mo acknowledged the order together. Yue Buqun's face turned ashen and both of his eyes turned malicious. But thinking he still had his life, there was a still a trace of happiness in his eyes.

Yingying said, "You hate me. Do you think I'm afraid?" She slashed her long sword and cut the ropes binding him. She walked near him and unsealed the acupoints on his back. Her right palm pressed against his mouth, while her left palm hit the back of his head. Yue Buqun's mouth opened, and he felt a small pill in his mouth. At the same time, Yingying's right hand pinched his nose blocking his air. When Yingying cut his ropes and unsealed the acupoints at the back of his body, her back was facing toward Linghu Chong and was blocking his vision, so Linghu Chong couldn't see her putting the pill into Yue Buqun's mouth. Linghu Chong only saw her releasing his master and he felt comforted. With his nose blocked, Yue Buqun had to use his mouth to draw breath. At the same time, Yingying used force on her right hand to force Yue Buqun to take the pill along with his breath.