Chapter Ninety-Two: The World (II)

According to Chinese historical records, the Nine Tripod Cauldrons of Yu the Great were passed down through the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties before being lost at the end of the Qin. Sima Qian wrote in his Records of the Grand Historian: "When King Nan of Zhou died, the people of Zhou fled eastward. Qin seized the nine tripods and precious vessels, and relocated the Duke of Western Zhou to Hu. Seven years later, King Zhuangxiang of Qin extinguished Eastern Zhou. Both Eastern and Western Zhou fell into Qin's hands, and the sacrifices of Zhou came to an end."

It is also recorded: "In the fifty-first year... Qin then sent General Jiu to attack Western Zhou. The Duke of Western Zhou fled and surrendered himself, kowtowing to accept punishment, offering all of his thirty-six cities and thirty thousand people. The King of Qin accepted the offerings and returned the duke to Zhou. In the fifty-second year, the people of Zhou fled eastward, and their vessels, the nine tripods, came into Qin's possession. Thus began the fall of Zhou." This passage records that after the fall of Eastern Zhou, the nine tripods came to Qin.

Cha Wenbin said: "Since Elder Gu mentioned the nine tripods, there are two problems. First, the Zhou dynasty's nine tripods were placed in Luoyi, which was where the Duke of Eastern Zhou resided. What Qin destroyed was Western Zhou, so how could they have obtained the Eastern Zhou duke's nine tripods? Second, Qin and Luoyi are roughly three hundred and fifty kilometers apart, with the remaining ridges of the Qin Mountains in between. When Zhou first conquered Shang, they could not transport the nine tripods to Fenghao. How could Qin possibly have transported those massive, cumbersome cauldrons across the Qin Mountain ridges into Qin territory?"

Elder Gu said: "As for where the Zhou tripods truly are, historical records state: 'When King Wu conquered Shang, he moved the nine tripods to Luoyi,' and also: 'King Cheng, while at Feng, ordered the Duke of Shao to rebuild Luoyi, following King Wu's intentions. The Duke of Zhou divined again and inspected the site, then finally built the city and placed the nine tripods there.' Both of these sources clearly indicate that after Zhou destroyed Shang, they moved the Shang tripods to Luoyi. After the Qin, there is no further record of the tripods' whereabouts. They were only passed down through the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties. Given Qin Shi Huang's personality, he would never have left such tripods in Luoyi. He who obtains the nine tripods obtains the realm. Since the First Emperor had unified the realm, he naturally would not want the world divided again. If it were you, what would you do?"

Cha Wenbin said: "By the time Qin Shi Huang was on the throne, the realm was already unified, and all threats had been eliminated. But water can carry a boat, and it can also capsize it. If obtaining the nine tripods means obtaining the realm, then destroying the nine tripods would mean no one would ever have that chance again."

"That is my thinking as well. The nine tripods were very likely deliberately dispersed by Qin Shi Huang. But we've drifted off topic. Having said all this, I only mean to say that the curse exists, and it has existed since very early times. Those sorceries were all recorded on the nine tripods."

Fatty said: "Speaking of which, Master Cha, what curse exactly are we under?"

"Look here." Cha Wenbin pulled open his collar. On the back of his neck was a red dot the size of a thumbnail. He then said to me: "Xiao Yi, that day when we came up from the river and went to the farmhouse to change clothes, I noticed you had the same red dot on the back of your neck, but I didn't think much of it. The day before yesterday, I took that hairpin with me to meet someone who understands that kind of script, accompanied by Master Long. That person told us the hairpin is engraved with a curse: anyone who touches anything in that place will suffer the curse's retaliation. This curse has a very fearsome name: Blood Fiend."

"Blood Fiend?"

Cha Wenbin nodded: "It has long been lost. According to records, the last time this curse was used was a thousand years ago. It was by the final great shaman of the Kingdom of Kucha: Bai Yuan. Blood Fiend sorcery is an art that can neither be seen nor touched. It is said that Bai Yuan used this art to resist fifty thousand iron cavalry of the Western Xia and routed their Left Blue King, Tuoba Bihe. According to historical records, Tuoba Bihe was bitten by a small mosquito on the back of his neck. It started as a red dot, but within a month, the red dot grew into a red patch that spread all the way to his shoulder blade. Six months later, the red patch had expanded across his entire chest. A year later, his whole upper body was as red as roasted meat. Whenever the red skin broke, the wound would never heal. In the end, Tuoba Bihe died from continuous bleeding after a small cut on his palm."

Fatty lifted the collar of my shirt and looked, letting out an "Eh" sound before saying: "There really is one. Come on, Young Master Xia, take a look at mine. What Master Cha said is making me nervous."

When I lifted Fatty's collar, my heart went cold. There was a red spot slightly smaller than a thumbnail, and the blood vessels beneath the skin were clearly visible, as if a piece of skin had been peeled away, resembling the color of fresh beef sold at the market.

"I have one too." With that, Cha Wenbin pulled open his collar, but his spot had already turned into a patch of black.

Cha Wenbin handed me a small bottle: "They applied medicine for me. It can only delay it, not eliminate it. You two should put some on as well."

I took the bottle and smelled it. The odor was sharp and pungent: "What kind of medicine is this? It smells strange."

"Master Tongyun of the Lingbao Sect personally prepared it. He is the thirty-seventh generation disciple of the Celestial Master Ge Hong. They said they would do their best to find a way. We actually took a bullet meant for someone else."

"For whom?"

"There are some things I'll tell you about slowly when we get back. Also, Master Long will come to see the two of you later. The business in Guangzhou might need to be put on hold for now."

I asked: "Who exactly is he?"

Cha Wenbin shrugged, then pointed upward with his finger: "To be honest, I don't really know either. He should be someone who can reach the heavens."

As for the matter of Zhuangyuan Village, according to Cha Wenbin, someone had been watching it long before we got there. That someone was the person in the photograph. We learned all this a few days later from the man called Master Long.

I met Master Long a week later. Many people had come to my hometown. My parents had been taken away before I even returned from Shanghai, supposedly invited to Beijing for a trip. When I pushed open the door to the large courtyard, it was already filled with a crowd of people I didn't recognize. They spoke with all kinds of accents—Hunan, Guangxi, Northeast, Sichuan—from all corners of the country. They had completely made themselves at home: some were lighting fires, some cooking, some playing cards, thoroughly enjoying themselves. Naturally, one of them was Master Long.

"We've rented this house. We won't be intruding for too long." That was the first thing Master Long said to me. Before I could speak, his second sentence was: "I've reviewed all your files. In '79, Shi Gandang set fire to a family compound in the Chengdu Military Region, causing two severe injuries and one death, then fled to Xi'an. There, he participated in seventeen grave-robbing activities, five of which involved first-class national cultural relics. By law, you could be shot several times over."

Then, completely disregarding Fatty's already contorting face, he turned to me and said: "Xia Yi, in '75, you went to the countryside for rustication in Yeren Tun in the Northeast. You were suspected of murdering a local cadre, then fled the Northeast together with Cha Wenbin, Shi Gandang, Yuan Xiaobai, and three others. In '80, you went south to Guangzhou with Shi Gandang, where you engaged in smuggling electronics, clothing, and other speculative profiteering activities. You also conspired with international antiquities dealers from Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong to traffic in seven first-class national cultural relics and one hundred forty-three second-class relics for exorbitant profits."

He waved the manila envelopes in his hand: "These are your files, including Yuan Xiaobai's. I can restrict your出入境 at any time. As for your life in America, that will also come to an end and be investigated following that joint murder."

Yuan Xiaobai's face flushed red: "I... I never killed anyone. Don't falsely accuse me!"

"In '79, the old party secretary of Yeren Tun was lured into a hundred-meter-deep pit, then struck on the head with a rock. Not long after, he died, and then you all fled. If you didn't kill anyone, why did you run?"

"I..." Yuan Xiaobai didn't know what to say for a moment. Cha Wenbin stepped forward: "Tell us your terms."

There was a brazier in front of Master Long, its charcoal burning brightly. He turned his slender fingers and said: "Actually, these matters have nothing to do with me. I just want to tell you all: there is a sky beyond the sky, and there are people beyond people!" He looked up at me: "Don't worry. Your family has gone to Beijing for sightseeing, and someone will arrange everything for them. I am a fair man. How about we make a deal?"

"What kind of deal?"

Master Long waved the stack of manila envelopes in his hand: "These are my bargaining chips. We searched for that place in Zhuangyuan Village for a full three years without any progress. I never expected you to stumble upon that hairpin by accident. I'm a man who believes in fate. Some things cannot be done with ability alone—they require destiny. Since you were fated to get in, why not go in a few more times and get everything out for me?"

Seeing that we didn't answer, he continued: "Well then, young people, it's a good deal. With a single move of my hand, all your files will become those of model youths. All these unsavory pasts will be wiped clean."

Fatty snorted: "Why don't you go yourself? Afraid of the curse, is that it? What a joke!"

"You've reminded me of something. That so-called curse hasn't only afflicted you all. Come, let me introduce someone to you." With that, Master Long brought out a young man. His hair was long, covering a full half of his face. The visible half was abnormally pale. His full appearance couldn't be made out, but one glance gave the impression: this man is a walking sickbed.

Master Long steadied him by the shoulder and said to Cha Wenbin: "This young man will go with you. He might be of some help."

The man's hand clutched tightly around a black short blade. The knife looked strange—it had no scabbard, and its hilt was wrapped in white gauze bound together with the man's hand.

When Cha Wenbin saw the blade, his expression changed noticeably. He took the initiative to speak: "How should I address you, brother?"

The man didn't even lift his head. He simply turned and walked away, then silently crouched in the corner by himself...

Fatty considered this extremely rude and immediately said: "Who does he think he is? Acting like some martial arts hero, thinking he's in a costume drama! Picking up a broken knife and staying silent, thinking he's Ximen Chuixue. What a joke!"

Seeing us all staring at him, Master Long glanced at the man and said to Cha Wenbin: "Don't ask me. I don't know who he is either. He's the first person who could lift Han Yue."

That blade—Cha Wenbin had seen it before. In Master Long's mountain villa, there was a treasure pavilion housing numerous national treasures, and among them was this very short blade, black throughout. The blade was called Han Yue—Cold Moon. The name might sound somewhat soft and graceful, but mention its origins, and nine out of ten Chinese people would say: "So it's that one..."

During the Warring States period, there was a master swordsmith surnamed Xu, known as Lady Xu. One night, thunder roared, and a ball of fire fell from the east—a meteorite shaped like a blade. Lady Xu spent the entirety of her life polishing that meteorite into a short blade. It was black throughout with a ghostly gleam, even more striking under the bright moon. Its shape resembled a crescent moon, radiating piercing cold, hence the name Han Yue—Cold Moon. Later, the King of Zhao, desiring the blade, sent men to kill Lady Xu. During the struggle, anyone wounded by its cold edge had their blood freeze and their muscles and bones snap. But even a strong dragon cannot overcome a hundred tigers. In the end, exhausted, Lady Xu fell on the blade herself.

After obtaining the blade, the King of Zhao was plagued by nightmares. Whenever the cold wind blew, he would hear Lady Xu's wails. When his consorts and princes died of illness, he had Han Yue pressed beneath a great bronze tripod to suppress the blade's resentment. Within a year, the state of Zhao was destroyed.

The blade's most legendary tale, however, is that Jing Ke used this very knife in his assassination attempt on the King of Qin. After the failure, the blade fell into Qin Shi Huang's hands, and only the imperial might of the Qin king could subdue it. To call it China's most legendary blade would not be an overstatement.

But there is a saying about Han Yue: the blade's nature is too proud and aloof, so ordinary people are unworthy of wielding it. No matter how strong you are, you cannot draw it from its sheath. For Han Yue to leave its sheath, it must accept its master. You must cut your finger and let blood drip into the gap between the sheath and the edge. If it can be drawn, then you are Han Yue's master.

Unfortunately, since Emperor Wu of Han, no one had ever drawn the blade again. And now it appeared in the hands of this stranger. How could Cha Wenbin not find it strange...