DEMI GODS AND SEMI DEVILS Book 2 of 5 (Shrouding Screen In Suzhou) by Jin Yong

Forevermore Intoxicated Part 1

The small boat weaved its way past a copse of weeping willows. Far in the distant, a reflection of crimson blossoming flowers could be seen in the water, as glorious as rosy clouds in the sky. Duan Yu let out an exclamatory 'Ah!' of appreciation.

Ah Zhu asked, "What's wrong?" Pointing to the blossoming flowers, Duan Yu said, "These are the camellia flowers native to Dali. How is it that this type of 'Dian tea-leaves' exist in the middle of Lake Taihu as well?" Camellia flowers of Yunnan province were the most famous of all, and were known as 'Dian tea-leaves' [Dian is another name for Yunnan]. Ah Zhu asked, "Really? This place is known as the Highland Manor of the Mantuo Flowers. It's filled with camellia leaves." Duan Yu thought to himself, "Camellia flowers are also known as 'jade leaves', but a third name for them is 'mantuo flowers'. Since this place is named after camellia flowers, it should be interesting for me to see what famous techniques they use to cultivate them here."

Rowing the oars, Ah Zhu sent the boat speeding directly towards the midst of the camellia flowers. As soon as they reached the shore, Duan Yu cast a glance at the land, but all he could see was red and white camellia flowers, with no buildings anywhere in sight. Duan Yu was raised in Dali, where camellia flowers were commonly seen everywhere. He didn't think the sight was particularly extraordinary at all, and thought to himself, "Although there are a lot of camellia flowers here, none of them appear to be of a high quality. I imagine that the best specimens are probably within the manor itself.

Ah Zhu pulled the boat ashore and smiled. "Young gentleman Duan, we'll go inside for a bit. We'll come back out very shortly." Holding Ah Bi's hand, she prepared to jump ashore. But suddenly, the scattered sounds of footsteps could be heard, and a servant girl dressed in green appeared.

The girl was holding a bunch of flowers and plants in her hands. Upon seeing Ah Bi and Ah Zhu, she hurriedly rushed towards them, her face filled with happiness. "Ah Zhu, Ah Bi, you two are really too daring! You snuck over here again! The madame said, 'Use a knife to cut a cross on the faces of those two girls and ruin their flower-like, pure-as-jade complexions.'" Ah Zhu laughed. "Sister Youcao, is the madame at home?" [The exact phrase Ah Zhu uses is not 'madame', but 'maternal uncle's wife', which is her relationship to Murong Fu.] The servant girl, Youcao, cast a few glances at Duan Yu, turned her head towards Ah Zhu and Ah Bi, then laughed, "The madame also said, 'Those two brats also brought a strange man to the Highland Manor of the Camellias. Go and chop off that man's legs immediately!" Before she finished the sentence, she began to laugh out loud.

Patting her heart, Ah Bi said, "Sister Youcao, don't scare us! Is that really true?"

Ah Zhu laughed, "Ah Bi, don't be scared. If the madame was really at home, how would this girl have the courage to be so impish and mischievious? Little sister Youcao, where did the madame go?" Youcao laughed, "Pooh! How old are you? Are you fit to be my big sister? Clever little demon that you are, you actually managed to guess that the madame isn't at home." She let out a light sigh. "Sister Ah Zhu and Ah Bi, it's such a rare occasion that you two can come visit. I really want to keep you two here for a few days, but..." As she spoke, she shook her head. Ah Bi said, "I really want to spend some extra time with you too! Sister Youcao, whenever you are able to come pay a visit to us, I'll accompany you three days and three nights without even getting sleepy, alright?" As they spoke, Ah Zhu and Ah Bi went ashore. Ah Bi whispered quietly into Youcao's ears. Youcao let out a sudden laugh, then glanced at Duan Yu. Ah Bi immediately blushed scarlet. Pulling Ah Zhu with one hand and Ah Bi with the other, she laughed, "Let's go inside." Ah Bi turned her head and said, "Young gentleman Duan, please wait and rest here for a bit. We'll be back soon."

Duan Yu replied, "Okay!" He watched as the three girls happily walked hand-in-hand into the forest of flowers.

He too walked ashore. After first checking to make sure no one was about, he relieved himself by the side of a tall tree. He sat next to the boat for a while, slowly growing bored. He thought to himself, "Why don't I go check out what types of extraordinary camellia flowers they have here?" He began to stroll around and view the sights. Aside from camellia flowers, there were no other flowers or plants here, not even the most commonly seen plants such as the morning-glory, climbing roses, or red roses. But all of the camellia flowers were very mundane and not the least bit extraordinary. The only thing extraordinary was their quantity. After walking for one or two hundred meters, the diversity of the camellias improved, and occasionally there were some high-quality ones, but even those were not planted properly. He thought to himself, "This manor is named after camellia flowers, but they have absolutely ruined these perfectly fine camellias."

Then, he thought to himself, "I need to go back. If Ah Zhu and Ah Bi can't find me upon returning, they'd be really worried." Turning around, he headed back, but after taking a few steps, he exclaimed to himself, "How terrible!" During his journey through the sea of flowers, he had only paid attention to the scenery, and not to the path he had taken. Two small roads forked away from each other, one headed east, the other headed west. He didn't know which one was the road he had originally taken. It would be a bit difficult for him to retrace his steps and return to the place where the boat was anchored. He thought to himself, "Let me go to the water's edge first."

But the farther he walked, the more he felt he was going in the wrong direction. All of the camellias he saw were new ones that he hadn't seen previously. Just as he was starting to get worried, he suddenly heard someone speaking from a forested area to his left. It was Ah Zhu's voice. Duan Yu was overjoyed. He thought to himself, "I'll wait here for them a while. After they're done chatting, we'll leave together."

He heard Ah Zhu say, "The young master is in good health and has a healthy appetite. These past two months, he has been practicing the 'Dog Beating Staff' technique of the Beggar's Clan. It seems he will soon spar with the members of the Beggar's Clan." Duan Yu thought to himself, "Ah Zhu is talking about the affairs of young master Murong. I shouldn't eavesdrop on other people's private affairs, and should walk a bit farther away. But I can't go too far, or else I won't know when they are done talking."

Just at this moment, he heard the sound of a gentle sigh from a female voice.

Instantly, Duan Yu's entire body involuntarily trembled. His heart began to beat frantically, and he thought to himself, "What an incredibly lovely sigh that was! How can there be such a beautiful sound in the world?" That voice gently asked, "Where is he headed this time?" After having heard her let out a sigh, Duan Yu's mind was shaken. Now, hearing her say this sentence, he felt as though all the blood in his body was boiling. He felt a sour, bitter feeling in his heart, and an unspeakable degree of envy and jealousy. "She clearly is asking about young master Murong. She's so concerned about him and cares so much about him. Young master Murong, how is it that you have been blessed with such incredibly good fortune?"

Ah Zhu said, "When the young master left, he said he was headed to Luoyang to meet with some masters of the Beggar's Clan. Big Brother Deng went with him as well. Miss, set your heart at ease."

The female slowly said, "The Beggar's Clan possesses two divine skills: The 'Dog Beating Staff' technique, and the 'Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms' technique. These two are secret skills which are not taught to others. Even if we compile all of the information in your 'Water Pavilion of Bestowal and Repayment' and our 'Jade Cavern Library', we would only be able to piece together some fragmentary, incomplete staff techniques and palm techniques. We would have no information at all about how the internal energy is supposed to be generated. How, exactly, does your young master practice the technique?" [Note: The 'library' in 'Jade Cavern Library' comes from a character 'huan' that is typically used to refer to a library of fairies and immortal sages that contains many precious, rare, and often mystical books. The name is a very elegant one, but very difficult to reproduce while being both 'fluid' and 'complete in meaning', and I have translated it on the basis of the former.]

Ah Zhu said, "The young master said, 'The internal energy component of the 'Dog Beating Staff' was invented by human beings. Why can't I figure out how it works on my own? Since I possess the staff techniques, it shouldn't be too hard for me to understand the internal energy component.'" Duan Yu said, "Young master Murong's words make some sense. He probably is an extremely talented, extremely ambitious person."

That female let out yet another soft sigh. "Even if he's able to figure it out, it would take eight or ten years. How can it be accomplished in such a short time? Did you see the young master practicing the technique? Were there any sluggish, awkward-looking parts?" Ah Zhu replied, "The staff technique was executed extremely quickly by the young master. From the beginning to the end, he executed it smoothly and gracefully." The female let out a cry. "That's not good! He...he really executed the technique very quickly?" Ah Zhu said, "Yes, why? Is that wrong?" The female said, "Naturally, that's wrong. Although I don't know the internal energy component to the Dog Beating Staff, judging from the staff techniques themselves, there are several parts where the slower the techniques are executed, the better. There are some other parts which fluctuate between being slow and being fast; in the fast movements there is hidden slowness, and within the slow movements quickness is hidden. There's no question about that. He...if he just focuses on executing the technique very quickly in fighting with the experts of the Beggar's Clan, I fear...I fear...you two...can you think of a way to bring a message to him?"

Ah Zhu let out a groan. "We don't know what route the young master is taking or where he is passing by. We don't even know if he's already met with the elders of the Beggar's Clan. Before he left, the young master said that the Beggar's Clan was wrongly accusing him of having murdered their Vice-Clan Leader, a man surnamed Ma. His purpose in going to Luoyang was to defend himself against these chargers, and not necessarily to fight against them. Otherwise, he and brother Deng, despite being heroes, would be unable to overcome the sheer advantage in numbers which the Beggar's Clan possesses. I'm just worried that he wouldn't be able to fully explain everything, and that the two sides will become estranged..." Ah Bi said, "Miss, is it really so improper for him to execute the Dog Beating Staff technique very quickly?" The female said, "Naturally, it is definitely improper. What else is there to say? He...why didn't he come and visit me before leaving?" As she spoke, she lightly stamped her feet, seemingly very agitated and deeply concerned, but her voice remained tender, soft, and lovely to hear.

Duan Yu was extremely astonished. He thought to himself, "In Dali, everyone spoke of 'Gusu's Murong family' with the utmost reverence and fear. But from the words of this girl, it sounds as though young master Murong needs her advice and her pointers on martial arts. Can it be that such a young girl possesses such an incredibly high level of ability?" Lost in thought, he suddenly bumped his head into a tree branch. He couldn't help but let out a cry. He hurriedly shut his mouth, but it was too late. The female asked, "Who is it?"

Duan Yu knew that he was unable to hide, and so coughed and said from within the thicket, "I am Duan Yu. I was touring your respected manor's camellias, and accidentally arrived here. Please forgive me."

The female said in a low voice, "Ah Zhu, is it the gentleman who arrived with you two?" Ah Zhu hurriedly said, "It is. Miss, don't mind him. We'll leave immediately." The female said, "Wait. I'm going to write him a letter and explain to him that if he really gets into a fight against the Beggar's Clan, he must not use the Dog Beating Staff technique no matter what. He needs to use his own original skills. Even if he's unable to 'Use the opponent's skills, and exercise them upon the opponent', there's no other option. Take the letter and think of a way to get it to him." Ah Zhu hesitantly said, "This....well...the madame once gave orders..."

The female said, "What? You only obey the madame's commands and ignore mine?" In her voice was the slightest hint of anger. Ah Zhu hurriedly said, "Miss, as long as you keep the madame from finding out, your humble servant will naturally follow your orders, especially seeing as how this is beneficial to our master." The female said, "Come with me to the study room to prepare the letter." Ah Zhu still seemed very hesitant, and only reluctantly said, "Alright."

After hearing that first sigh, Duan Yu was becoming only more and more enthralled by this girl. Hearing that she was about to leave, he feared that he would never be able to meet her again. This would be something which he would regret all his life. Even if it were to mean risking being blamed as too forward and bold, he had to see this girl with his own eyes. Summoning up his courage, he said, "Sister Ah Bi, can you stay here with me for a bit?" As he spoke, he walked out from the thicket.

Upon hearing him walk towards them, the female let out a startled cry and hurriedly turned her back to him.

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And so it begins....