Chapter - 6 Scars (1/2)

Both of Shi Potian's sleeves swept out towards the sword. A loud *ke-chi* was heard, followed by a *hu*. Suddenly, Wang Wangren flew backwards and crashed heavily into the main door.

Both Ding Dang and Shi Potian were stunned by Ding Busan's question.

Her heart thumping wildly like a fawn that was leaping about in confusion, Ding Dang thought: Grandfather's martial arts skills are a match for but only a few. If Darling Shi learns these divine techniques, he can roam the length and breadth of the 'jianghu' with even greater fame and prestige. He once said that the Clan of Eternal Happiness will soon meet with a great and terribly thorny catastrophe, so if he can learn Grandfather's martial arts, he will probably be able to head the danger off. He is a man and a true one at that, so as the leader of a populous clan in the realm of the rivers and lakes, he must naturally attach greater importance to his career than the personal relationship between us.

She stole a glance at Shi Potian and found him totally perplexed. It was obvious that he was unable to come to a decision about the matter.

Consequently, Ding Dang's heart could not help but sink in heaviness: Darling Shi has always been an unrestrained romantic in spirit and behaviour. I do not know how many lovers he has had throughout his free and easy life. Although he has been especially intimate with me for the past half-year, I am actually nothing more than a passing cloud in his eyes. Furthermore, my grandfather has such a bad name in the martial arts circle. The reputations of the Clan of Eternal Happiness and Shi Potian are not exactly good either, but they are nonetheless a long way off from Grandfather's. So now that he knows my identity and background, how can he still want me?

Her heart ached so much that her eyes became moist with tears.

”Hurry, speak!” Ding Busan insisted. ”Do not think that you can get away with a bargain by learning my martial arts skills first and marrying A'Dang later. You might be even thinking of marrying A'Dang first, because the old man would naturally teach you martial arts on the basis of you being his grandson-in-law. That will definitely not do. Let me tell you: there is no one under the sun who dares to be funny in front of Ding Busan. If you want one thing, you cannot have the other. If not, your little life will be in danger. Speak quickly!”

The urgency of the situation increased Ding Dang's concern. Afraid that her Darling Shi might say 'I want to learn Grandfather's martial arts skills' and thus destroy her life, she said, ”Grandfather, I will tell you the truth. He is the leader of the Clan of Eternal Happiness, Shi Potian. He does have quite a reputation in the martial arts circle....”

”What?” asked Ding Busan in surprise. ”He is the leader of the Clan of Eternal Happiness? He does not look the part, does he?”

”He does, he does,” answered Ding Dang. ”Although he is young, all the heroes in the Clan of Eternal Happiness submit themselves to him. Even highly skilled pugilists, like the 'Touch that Brings Back Life', the Physician Bei, listen to his commands as well.”

”The Physician Bei listens to him too?” asked Ding Busan. ”That cannot be, can it?”

”Yes, it can, it can,” answered Ding Dang. ”I saw it with my own eyes, so how can it be untrue? Grandfather, although you are a highly skilled pugilist, imagine if the leader of the Clan of Eternal Happiness learns martial arts under your tutelage....” Her meaning behind were words was clear: The martial arts skills of Physician Bei is not beneath yours. Clan-Leader Shi cannot study under you, so you should just allow him to have me instead.

At that moment, Shi Potian spoke up: ”Grandfather, Ding Ding Dang Dang has made a mistake. I am not Shi Potian.”

”So you are not Shi Potian?” asked Ding Busan. ”Who then are you?”

”I am not a clan-leader,” Shi Potian continued, ”and I am not Ding Ding Dang Dang's 'Tian- ge'. I am Gouzazhong, and Gouzazhong is simply Gouzazhong. Although the name is unpleasant to the ears, I am definitely Gouzazhong.”

Ding Busan held on to his stomach and laughed loudly for a long time. ”Very good!” he said finally. ”I want to reward you with a treasure, not because you are Clan-Leader Wa ('tile') or Clan-Leader Shi ('stone'). Neither is it based on whether A'Dang likes you or not. It is simply because Ding Busan has taken a fancy to you! I do not care if you are a bastard ( gouzazhong), a stinking little boy ( chou xiaozi) or a turtle who is the son of a bitch ( wugui wangbadan). Since Ding Busan has taken a fancy to you, you have no choice but to accept one of my treasures.”

Looking in turn at Ding Busan and Ding Dang, Shi Potian thought: This Ding Ding Dang Dang has mistaken me for her Tian-ge. The real Tian-ge will definitely return soon, so if I accept the gift, would I not be deceiving the girl, as well as her Tian-ge? But if I say that I prefer martial arts to the girl, I will break her heart. I had better not accept anything at all.

So he shook his head and said, ”Grandfather, I have already drunk your 'Liquor of Dark Ice and Blue Flame'. Since I have difficulty replacing it, perhaps you should just consider it as a treasure that you have given me!”

Ding Busan's face darkened. ”No, no,” he said. ”We have already agreed that the 'Liquor of Dark Ice and Blue Flame' must be replaced. Are you trying to go back on your word? That will not do. So, have you made your choice yet? Do you want A'Dang or the martial arts?”

Shi Potian stole a glance at Ding Dang. At the same time, she stole a glance at him as well. Their eyes met, but they quickly turned their heads away.

Ding Dang's face was pale, and the tears in her eyes finally began rolling down her cheeks. Arrogant and wilful, she would have reached out and twisted Shi Potian's ear -- like she usually did -- or stamped her foot and walked off in a huff. However, she could not display even a tiny bit of her headstrong personality in the presence of her grandfather. Furthermore, twisting Shi Potian's ear and stamping her foot at such a critical juncture would only serve to push the young man towards choosing martial arts. That could never be allowed to take place, so Ding Dang's heart was laden with a mix of anger and pain that she could not express.

Shi Potian glanced at the girl again. When he saw the tears streaming down her face, he could not bring himself to let her continuing weeping. ”Ding Ding Dang Dang,” he said in a gentle voice, ”I am telling you, you have definitely gotten the wrong person. If I am really your Tian- ge, is there still a need to make a choice? I would naturally choose ... choose you, not martial arts!”

Ding Dang's tears continued to fall like a broken string of pearls, but a smile had appeared at the corner of her mouth. ”You are not Tian- ge?” she asked. ”How can there be a second Tian- ge under the sun?”

”Perhaps I really do look very much like your Tian- ge,” answered Shi Potian. ”That is why everyone has made this mistake.”

”So you are still not admitting it?” asked Ding Dang with a smile. ”All right, there are indeed people in this world whose facial features resemble one another. When I first met you early this year, you grabbed my hand roughly. Since I did not know you then, I turned my hand over and struck you at once, did I not?”

Shi Potian responded with a dumbfounded gaze, for he did not know how to answer her.

Consequently, Ding Dang became unhappy again. ”Have you really forgotten everything after a serious bout of illness, or are you trying to wiggle your way out of things by pretending to be idiotic and dim-witted?” she asked angrily.

Scratching his head, Shi Potian replied: ”You have obviously made a mistake. How would I know what happened between that Tian- ge and you?”

”You will not succeed in wiggling your way out even if you try,” said Ding Dang. ”That day, you had both my hands in your grasp. I was very worried, but you kept on laughing. Then, you reached out with your mouth ... and tried to ... tried to touch my face. I turned my head sideways and bit you on the shoulder. I had to bite until the wound bled before you set me free. You ... you should untie your shirt(1) and see if there is a scar on your left shoulder. You say that I have made a mistake ... but ... but you cannot remove the scar that I made with my teeth.

Shi Potian nodded in agreement. ”That is correct,” he said. ”You have never bitten me, so my shoulder would naturally not bear a scar....” As he spoke, he untied his shirt and exposed his left shoulder. Almost at once, he was struck by a sudden shock. ”Eh! This ... this is so strange!” he gasped aloud, for there were indeed two curved rows of teeth-marks on the shoulder.

It was also clear to all three people that the teeth-marks formed the outline of a small cherry-sized mouth. The scar that resulted from those marks protruded from the surface of the skin. Thus, there was no doubt that the scar had come from a person's bite, for other wounds would never have produced it.

”The little boy wanted to wiggle his way out,” said Ding Busan with a cold laugh. ”But he has finally failed. Let me tell you: A person who goes into the mountains a lot will eventually meet with a tiger. You, who have gone about unrestrained in romantic behaviour, will eventually be caught by a woman whom you will never be able to shake off. I too fell for such a ploy when I was young. If that was not the case, how would this world have A'Dang's father, and A'Dang in turn? That good-for-nothing brother of mine, Ding Busi, is the only one who has not managed to take a wife. Consequently, he has become obsessed and crazy in old age, wearing a mournful face the whole day just like a dog-bear coward(2). All right, we do not need a further digression. In that case, you want A'Dang, do you not?”

Shi Potian did not hear Ding Busan's question at all because he was distracted by the discovery of the scar on his shoulder. He was actually very astonished, for he could not recall when his shoulder was bitten. The teeth-marks showed that the bite had been done in a very ruthless manner, so how could he forget having suffered such a wound? In his heart, he knew that the many incomprehensible situations that he had found himself in recently had stemmed entirely from a mistaken identity, so this was the only issue that he could hardly find an answer for. Thus, he became lost in his own thoughts.

When Ding Busan noticed the young man's silence and the strange facial expression that that accompanied it, he attributed it to bashfulness at once. To him, Shi Potian was simply too embarrassed to address the matter outright. So the old man laughed and said, ”A'Dang, steer the boat and take us home!”

Startled and delighted at the same time, Ding Dang asked: ”Grandfather, are you saying that we are taking him to our home?”

”He is my grandson-in-law,” answered Ding Busan, ”so why should I not take him home? If he sneaks away without warning, will Ding Busan still be able to conduct himself in public? You say that there are people like the 'Touch that Brings Back Life', the Physician Bei, in his clan, so it will not be easy to drag him out once he withdraws into his nest.”

Ding Dang responded with a smile that stretched from one ear to the other. Casting a sideways glance at Shi Potian, she suddenly turned totally red in the face. Then, she picked the bamboo pole up and tapped it lightly against the pier. The little boat glided through the arch under the bridge and swung out into the river.

Meanwhile, Shi Potian wanted to ask if he was really going to their home, but there were just too many doubts and suspicions on his mind. Therefore, he swallowed the question although it had already reached the tip of his tongue.

+ + +

The river shone like a piece of green satin in the moonlight. Whenever Ding Dang's bamboo pole entered the water, ripples would appear. Then, the little boat would glide smoothly over the satiny surface of the river. Sometimes, the grass on the bank would brush against the side of the boat, producing a soft rustling sound. Other times, the low-hanging branches of the willows would sweep against the hair of Ding Dang and Shi Potian, carressing them like soft and gentle hands.

The night, faintly scented with the fragrance of flowers, was so beautiful and quiet that Shi Potian thought he had entered the land of dreams once more.

The little boat slid through the arch of another bridge before gliding through the opening under a third one. Then, it floated along a winding course for a long time before arriving at a flight of steps that was made from a type of white-coloured stone. Ding Dang picked the hawser (mooring rope) up and threw it towards the steps, looping around a wooden stake. Finally, she covered her mouth and gave Shi Potian a smile before skipping up the steps.

Ding Busan laughed and said, ”You are Jiao-ke today, so after you, please!”

Shi Potian did not know what to say, so he followed Ding Dang up the steps in a rather confused daze. Walking behind her, he passed through a small door that was painted in black and walked along a lengthy cobblestone path. Then, he passed through a moon-gate(3) and walked through a flower garden before coming to a stop at an octagonal pavilion.

Stepping into the pavilion behind him, Ding Busan smiled and said, ” Jiao-ke, please sit down!”

Shi Potian did not understand what Jiao-ke was, but since Ding Busan told him to take a seat, he did as he was told. Then, Ding Busan took his grand-daughter by the hand, retraced his steps through the flower garden and disappeared from sight.

The bright moon shone down from a westerly angle, creating long shadows with the flowers outside the pavilion. At the same time, a gentle breeze began to blow, swaying the trees and causing the swing beside the pavilion to move with a rhythm of its own.

Shi Potian touched the scar on his left shoulder, feeling totally perplexed. After quite a while, he heard a series of light footsteps as two middle-aged women walked through the flower garden towards him. Stopping just outside the pavilion, the women bowed slightly and said, ” Xin Guanren, please proceed to the inner hall for a change of attire.”

Although Shi Potian did not understand what the women meant, he guessed that they wanted him to go indoors. Therefore, he went with them without further thought. The little group walked past a lotus pond and along a corridor before entering a wing-room (xiang1 fang2)(4). A large tub of hot water stood in the room, with two cloth towels hanging on its rim. One of the women smiled and said, ” Xin Guanren, please take a bath. Old Master says that we are rushed for time, so there no new clothes have been prepared. Please make do with what you have, and wear your own clothes.” Then, the women left the room and closed the door behind them, cackling gleefully as they went.

Shi Potian thought: I am obviously called Gouzazhong, so how did I become 'Clan-Leader' in one moment and 'Tian-ge' in the next? When they called me 'Shi Potian', I thought that should be the end of the names, but now I have been given two new ones: 'Jiao-ke'(5) and 'Xin Guanren'. Yet, being there, he felt that he might as well stay and make the best of the situation. After all, Ding Busan and Ding Dang did not seem to bear any ill-will towards himself. Thus, throwing caution to the wind, he took his clothes off amidst the fragrance that drifted from the hot water in the tub. Then, he took a bath which invigorated him, before getting dressed again.

He had just finished putting his clothes on when a male voice spoke loudly outside the door: ” Xin Guanren, please proceed to the hall and pay your respects to the Heaven and the Earth.”

Shi Potian was startled, for he knew what 'paying respects to the Heaven and the Earth' meant. Adding two and two, he soon remembered what Xin Guanren was, for he had once heard his mother telling him a story about a Xin Guanren (i.e. ”bridegroom”) and a Xin Niangzi (”bride”) who paid their respects to the Heaven and the Earth (bai4 tian1 di4) in a marriage ceremony.

Therefore, he stood dumbfounded until the man outside spoke again: ” Xin Guanren, you are dressed, are you not?”

”Yes,” answered Shi Potian.

The man pushed the door open and entered the room. He placed a longish strip of red silk around Shi's neck and pinned a red silk flower on to the front of his shirt. ”Congratulations!” he said with a smile. ”Congratulations!” Then, he took the young man by the arm and led him out of the room.

Flustered, Shi Potian followed the man through a maze of doors and corridors before arriving at the main hall.

Eight giant candles bathed the hall up in a bright albeit flickering light, illuminating the Eight Immortals Table (ba1 xian1 zhuo1) in the centre of the scene. The table, which had a square top that seated eight, was covered with a red tablecloth. Ding Busan stood in the midst of everything, facing towards the door.

When Shi Potian stepped into the hall, three other men in the corridor outside began blowing their bamboo flutes (di2 zi3). The man who was taking Shi Potian by the arm declared in a loud voice: ”May the bride enter the hall.”

The two middle-aged women whom Shi had seen earlier emerged amidst the sound of tinkling ornamental rings. Between the women was a third one who wore a red silk covering on her head and red garments on her body. She appeared to be none other than Ding Dang. All three women then went over and stood beside Shi Potian.

Blinded somewhat by the light of the candles and intoxicated by the fragrance of orchids and musk, Shi Potian found himself feeling confused, afraid and happy at the same time.

The man beside him spoke in a loud and clear voice: ”Pay your respects to the Heaven!”

Shi Potian saw Ding Dang kneeling gracefully and bowing towards the courtyard, but he was hesitant about doing the same.

”Kneel down and bow your head,” the man whispered into Shi's ear before giving him a light push on the back.

It looks like I have to do it, thought Shi Potian, so he knelt and made a few haphazard bows.

The two women beside Ding Dang were so amused by his random bows that they burst into giggles.

”Pay your respects to the Earth!” said the man.

Shi Potian and Ding Dang turned around together, knelt and bowed towards the inner wall of the hall.

”Pay your respects to Grandfather!” said the man again.

Ding Busan got to his feet and stood before the couple. Ding Dang knelt and bowed first, followed by Shi Potian after a moment's hesitation.

”The husband and his wife pay their respects to each other!” said the man.

As Shi Potian watched Ding Dang turning towards him and falling to her knees, his mind suddenly became clear. ”Grandfather, Ding Ding Dang Dang,” he said loudly, ”I am really not Clan-Leader Shi, and I am not your Tian- ge. You have all made a mistake, so you had better not ... not blame me in the future.”

Ding Busan burst into laughter. ”Little Rascal,” he said, ”you are still cracking such jokes at a time like this! No, I will not put any blame on you, not now, not ever.”

”Ding Ding Dang Dang,” said Shi Potian again, ”let us lay things out upfront. This ceremony is just a game, or is it the real thing?”

The girl, who was already kneeling on the ground with the red silk covering still on her head, was surprised by the question. But she simply smiled and replied: ”Of course, it is the real thing. How can this matter be ... be a game?”

”You have gotten the wrong person today,” declared Shi Potian. ”The matter has nothing to do with me. When you start having regrets later on, you will pull my ear and bite my shoulder again. That will not do!”

Suddenly, the entire hall seemed terribly bright. Unable to contain her amusement, Ding Dang started to giggle before bursting into laughter. ”I will never have any regrets,” she said softly. ”So long as you treat me well and true, I ... I will naturally not pull your ear or bite your shoulder.”

”To have one's wife pull one's ear is right and proper!” declared Ding Busan in a loud voice. ”After all, it has been like this since Pan Gu created the Heaven and the Earth(6). So what is there to do or not to do about it? My dear well-behaved grandson-in-law, A'Dang has been kneeling towards you for such a long time, so why are you still not returning the gesture?”

”Yes, yes!” answered Shi Potian. He knelt on the red felt rug and exchanged several bows with Ding Dang.

”The husband and his wife have exchanged bows, so the ceremony is complete!” announced the man who acted as the master-of-ceremonies. ”Send the couple to the bridal chamber! May the bride and the groom enjoy a hundred years of gracious harmony, many children and grandchildren, as well as five lifetimes of prosperity!”

As the flautists struck up a loud tune on their bamboo flutes, one of the middle-aged women took a pair of red candles and led the way ahead. The other middle-aged woman and the master-of-ceremonies helped Ding Dang and Shi Potian respectively to their feet, and tied a length of red silk between them. Then, they herded the couple towards a room.

The room was much smaller than the one Shi Potian had at the headquarters of the Clan of Eternal Happiness. It was also not particularly luxurious in its furnishings, with only a pair of tall red candles on the table and pieces of red silk and paper hung and pasted in a haphazardly way. These were signs of a room decorated in haste, but they succeeded in adding quite a bit of cheer and festivity to the atmosphere.

The people led Shi Potian and Ding Dang to the bed, and sat them down on its edge. Then, they went over the table and poured out two cups of wine. ”Congratulations, Gu-ye, Xiao-jie(7),” they said in unison. ”It is time to drink the nuptial cup.” Then, they backed out of the room and closed the door, laughing and joking as they went.

Shi Potian's heart thumped wildly. Although he did not understand the affairs of the world, he was well aware that he had become husband-and-wife with Ding Dang after bowing to the Heaven and the Earth in a marriage ceremony. Looking at Ding Dang, he found her sitting up straight with the red silk covering still on her head. She did not move at all. After a moment of wondering what to say, Shi Potian asked: ”Ding Ding Dang Dang, are you suffocating with that thing on your head?”

”I am indeed,” answered Ding Dang with a smile. ”Please take it off!”

Reaching out with his thumb and forefinger, Shi Potian took a corner of the red silk covering and pulled it gently off. He found Ding Dang's face and lips covered with red rouge, which made her look especially gorgeous and bashful in the candlelight. As a mixture of surprise and delight filled his heart, he gazed unblinkingly at the girl and said, ”You ... you look really good.”

Ding Dang smiled until a tiny dimple appeared on her left cheek before lowering her head slowly.

Just then, Ding Busan's voice was heard speaking loudly from a high place outside the room: ”Tonight marks the auspicious return of my grand-daughter for marriage. Friends from unknown places who have honoured us with your presence, there is no harm in coming down for a celebratory cup of wine.”

A voice from another high place replied: ”The subordinate of the leader of Clan of Eternal Happiness, Bei Haishi, presents solemn greetings of peace and goodness to Third Master Ding. It is very inappropriate to disturb you so late at night, so please excuse us.”

Shi Potian uttered a quiet gasp: ”Ah! Mr Bei has come.”

Ding Dang responded by knitting her elegant brows into a shallow frown. Then, she brought her forefinger to the centre of her lips, telling Shi Potian not to make any sound.

Outside, Ding Busan burst into laughter. ”I was wondering which chicken-stealing and dog-pilfering friends have come,” he said quite rudely, ”but you have turned out to be members of the Clan of Eternal Happiness. Are you going to drink some celebratory wine? But you had better not shout loudly and disturb my grandson-in-law and grand-daughter in their bridal chamber, for you have come too late for the rite of teasing the couple in their room.”

Yet, Bei Haishi was not angered. He coughed a few times and said, ”So today is the auspicious day on which the precious grand-daughter of Third Master Ding is married. My brothers and I have come in haste, so we have not brought a gift. To make up for our poor manners, we will come again another day to offer our congratulations and show our appreciation for the celebratory wine. Meanwhile, an urgent matter has come up at our clan, and I would like to see Clan-Leader Shi in person about it. Thus, I would be eternally grateful if you could lead us to him. If this was not the case, we would not have had the audacity to enter the esteemed abode of the Third Master Ding in the dead of the night, even if we had courage as vast as the sky.”

”Physician Bei, you are also a highly-esteemed senior member of the martial arts circle,” said Ding Busan, ”so you need not treat me with such politeness. The Clan-Leader Shi whom you speak of is none other than my new grandson-in-law, Gouzazhong, is he not? He says that you have all gotten the wrong man, so there is no need to see him.”

The eight men who had come with Bei Haishi were highly-skilled pugilists from their clan, including Mi Hengye and Chen Chongzhi. When these men heard Ding Busan calling their clan-leader a bastard, a few of them began to utter throaty growls of anger.

As for Bei Haishi, he had heard Shi Potian referring to himself by the unpleasant name a few times, so he knew that Ding Busan had no intention of insulting anyone. However, he found himself secretly worrying about the fact that his clan-leader had become the grandson-in-law of the evil Ding. Eventually, he said, ”Third Master Ding, the matter at our clan needs urgent attention, so I must ask our Clan-Leader for his instructions. As for our Clan-Leader's jokes, we are aware that they happen quite frequently.”

Shi Potian could hear from Bei Haishi's words and tone of voice that the situation did indeed seem rather urgent. Recalling how the latter that rescued him when he was attacked by the hot and cold streams of energy on the Skyscraping Cliff, and spent days and nights watching over him with concern, he found himself unable to ignore the man's request and allow him to carry on in worry. Thus, he walked over to the window, pushed it open and called out in a loud voice: ”Mr Bei, I am over here. Are all of you looking for me?”

”Indeed,” answered Bei Haishi in delight. ”Your subordinate has an urgent matter to report.”

”I am Gouzazhong,” said Shi Potian, ”not your clan-leader. If you are looking for me, you have succeeded. If you are looking for your clan-leader, you have failed.”

A slight expression of awkwardness flashed across Bei Haishi's face. ”Clan-Leader, you are speaking in jest again,” he said. ”Please come out, so that we can step aside for a word.”

”You want me to come out?” asked Shi Potian.

”Yes!” answered Bei Haishi.

Ding Dang walked over to Shi Potian and tugged at his sleeve. ”Tian- ge, do not go out,” she whispered.

”I will return as soon as I have made things clear to him,” said Shi Potian. Then, he climbed clumsily through the window into the courtyard outside. There, he found Bei Haishi standing on the west wall, with eight men in a row on the roof of the building behind him. On the other hand, Ding Busan sat on a branch of the chestnut tree that grew in the eastern side of the courtyard, his weight causing the branch to bob up and down.

Ding Busan spoke: ”Physician Bei, you want to speak to my grandson-in-law, but can I listen in?”

Bei Haishi responded by muttering to himself, thinking: You are a highly-esteemed senior member of the martial arts circle yourself, so how can you not understand the rules of the realm of the rivers and lakes? Since I have come to see the Clan-Leader in the dead of the night, the matter that we speak of will naturally be a great secret of clan. Hence, how could an outsider participate in the exchange? I have long heard about the haphazard ways of this man; now, I see that his reputation is not undeserved. Thus, he replied: ”I am not in a place to divulge anything. Since our Clan-Leader is present, he should naturally be the one to make a decision on this.”

”Very good, very good indeed,” said Ding Busan. ”So you have pushed the responsibility on to my grandson-in-law. Hey, Gouzazhong, the Physician Bei has something to say to you, but I would like to listen in.”

”So Grandfather wants to listen in,” said Shi Potian. ”What is there to be concerned about?”

”What a dear and well-behaved grandson!” said Ding Busan, laughing gleefully. ”What a filial grandson indeed! Physician Bei, please speak quickly if you have something to say, for each moment of a night in spring is worth a thousand pieces of gold. My grand-daughter is in her bridal chamber, but you, an old man, have been here jabbering to no end. Are you not being a wet blanket that spoils the fun?”

Bei Haishi did not expect Shi Potian to make such a decision at all, but since he had given his word, he could hardly take it back. Feeling very displeased, he said, ”Clan-Leader, guests from the Snow Mountain School have arrived at our headquarters for a visit.”

Before Shi Potian could say anything, Ding Busan said, ”There is nothing amazing about the Snow Mountain School.”

”The Snow Mountain School?” repeated Shi Potian. ”Are they people from Hua Wanzi Hua- guniang's group?” There were thousands upon hundreds of clans and schools in the martial arts circle, but he knew only about the Snow Mountain School alone. Within the school, there were thousands upon hundreds of members, but again, he knew only Hua Wanzi alone. Hence, he blurted her name out without further thought.

Smiles appeared on the faces of the eight highly-skilled members of the Clan of Eternal Happiness who had come with Bei Haishi: Our Clan-Leader is really amorous and fond of women. He has taken a new wife tonight, but he has not forgotten the beautiful woman from the Snow Mountain School.

”Hua Wanzi Hua- guniang is among the them,” said Bei Haishi. ”There are also a number of others. The group is led by the 'Frost of the North-west' (Qi4 Han2 Xi1 Bei3) Bai Wanjian, with eight or nine other siblings-at-arms who appear to be highly-skilled pugilists of the Snow Mountain School.”

”What is there to be amazed about Bai Wanjian?” snapped Ding Busan. ”Even if that old fellow, Bai Zizai, comes in person, what is there to be concerned about? Physician Bei, I have heard that your 'Palm Technique of the Five Elements and the Six Directions' is really not bad, so why are you getting all flustered and alarmed over something as ordinary as the appearance of that little fellow Bai Wanjian?”

When Bei Haishi heard Ding Busan praising his 'Palm Technique of the Five Elements and the Six Directions', he could not help but feel a tinge of pride: This evil old man has always been very conceited, but he has actually given my Palm Technique of the Five Elements and the Six Directions due consideration. Hence, he smiled and replied: ”It is but an inconsequential skill that is unworthy of mention. Although our Clan of Eternal Happiness is small, we are not afraid of being bullied or oppressed by any other clan or school in the martial arts circle. We have never had any dealings with the Snow Mountain School, but the 'Frost of the North-west' has come in full power and prestige to demand an audience with our Clan-Leader. We have asked him to wait until tomorrow, but he is unable to wait at all. There is probably a misunderstanding of some sort here, so we have come to seek some suggestions from our Clan-Leader.”

”Hua- guniang broke into our headquarters last night,” said Shi Potian. ”She was captured by Incense-Master Chen, but released this morning. Could the Snow Mountain School be annoyed by this matter?”

”There is a possibility of that,” answered Bei Haishi. ”When I spoke to Incense-Master Chen, he told me that you treated Hua- guniang courteously. You did not even touch a single hair on her head or take her to task for breaking into our headquarters. You offered her birds' nest and silver before she left, so you really preserved the dignity of the Snow Mountain School in this matter. From the looks of things, I am afraid that the 'Frost of the North-west' has come regarding a different issue altogether.”

”What do you want me to do?” asked Shi Potian.

”It is all up to you,” answered Bei Haishi. ”If you say 'Meet them with civility', we will go back and speak to them nicely. We will also give them a few mild rebuffs. However, if you say, 'Meet them with force', we will beat them until they can no longer leave, for who asked them to march up to the Clan of Eternal Happiness with unbridled boldness and make such atrocious demands? It would be much better if you could go and look into the matter personally, because you would be able to respond to the situation then and there.”

Shi Potian had been happy being in the same room with Ding Dang just a little while ago, but he was also extremely fearful. There was no peace in his heart, for he did not know what would happen after a night in the bridal chamber. Since he was not Ding Dang's ”Tian- ge”, the truth would eventually be revealed to the utter embarrassment of all the parties who had been involved in the marriage ceremony. Therefore, he was glad that Bei Haishi dropped by, for the visit had presented him with an opportunity to escape. Hence, he said, ”In that case, I will go back and take a look. If they have misunderstood us, I will be honest and make things clear to them.” Then, he turned and said, ”Grandfather, Ding Ding Dang Dang, I am leaving.”

”This is not good,” said Ding Busan, scratching his head. ”Those fellows from the Snow Mountain School have thrown my plans into disarray, so I had better go and get rid of them. After all, I killed two of their disciples a long time ago and got into a conflict with Old Bai. Even if I kill a few more of them, the grudge between us would still be accounted for in the same way.”

The Snow Mountain School considered Ding Busan's killing of their disciples Sun Wannian and Zhu Wanchun as a terrible humiliation, so it kept the matter secret. When Shi Qing and Min Rou heard about the incident later, they kept quiet about it as well. Hence, there was no knowledge about this matter in the jianghu at all.

Hearing it, Bei Haishi thought: The Snow Mountain School is very powerful. Not only are its leaders and disciples highly skilled in martial arts, it has also maintained friendly relationships with the clans and schools in the central region. We do not need to engage such a formidable opponent for no rhyme or reason. The Clan of Eternal Happiness has its own problems which will arrive in the twinkling of an eye. So, it is not advantageous to take on additional involvements. Thus, he said, ”It is good that our Clan-Leader is willing to meet the people of the Snow Mountain School in person. Third Master Ding, we do not dare to bother you with such a trivial matter. Can we visit you again once things are settled?” He did not mention anything about 'drinking celebratory wine' because he hoped to persuade Shi Potian into giving up his marriage relationship with the Ding Family once they were back at their headquarters.

”Rubbish!” said Ding Busan angrily. ”I have said that I want to go, so I will definitely make the trip there. There is no alternative besides bothering me, because I have made up my mind to be involved in this particular matter of the Clan of Eternal Happiness.”

Listening to the conversation from the room, Ding Dang guessed that the Snow Mountain School had come to demand for an accounting of her husband's unrestrained behaviour. The man had probably found Hua Wanzi beautiful and went on to act indecently. There was also an eight or nine to ten chance that he had attempted to violate her by force. As for Incense-Master Chen's claim that his Clan-Leader 'did not even touch a single hair on her head', that was probably a ploy to cover things up. If not, why would he invite the woman to strengthen her body with some birds' nest? This did not even take the gift of silver into account.

Then, Ding Dang thought about her own predicament. It was their wedding night, but he actually wanted to dash off and meet Hua Wanzi. He was about to cast her aside, but she was not going to swallow her anger about it. When the argument between her grandfather and Bei Haishi turned into a deadlock, she leaped into the courtyard and said, ”Grandfather, Darling Shi has something to attend to in his clan, so he has to return to their headquarters. We cannot allow my personal relationship with him to interfere with his work. Let us do things this way: You and I will go with Darling Shi, and see exactly what amazing people the Snow Mountain School has.”

Shi Potian was delighted. Although he wanted to avoid the awkwardness of the bridal chamber, he was unwilling to be separated from Ding Dang. Hence, he smiled and said, ”How wonderful; how wonderful indeed! Ding Ding Dang Dang, you and I will go together, and Grandfather will go with us too!”

With the decision made, Bei Haishi and his group did not find it appropriate to raise further objections.

+ + +

The party went to the bank of the river and boarded the big boat that belonged to the Clan of Eternal Happiness for the trip back to the headquarters. By and by, Bei Haishi whispered to Shi Potian: ”Clan-Leader, you must persuade the Third Master Ding not to injure anyone from the Snow Mountain School, regardless of what happens. After all, it is meaningless to make many enemies.”

”Yes,” said Shi Potian with a nod. ”How can anyone kill another man for no rhyme or reason? Would he not become a bad person then?”

When the party arrived at the headquarters of the Clan of Eternal Happiness, Ding Dang said, ”Tian- ge, I want to change into a set of men's clothes in your room. Then, I will go with you to meet the Hua- guniang who looks like the flower and the moon.”

”Why?” asked Shi Potian, finding the request very interesting.

”I do not want her to know that I am your wife,” answered Ding Dang with a smile. ”It will also be more conducive for conversations.”

When Shi Potian noticed how bashful and proud Ding Dang was when she uttered the words 'I am your wife', warmth filled his heart. ”Very good, I will go with you to get a change of clothing,” he said.

”I want to dress up too!” said Ding Busan. ”Would it not be good if I disguised myself as a low-ranking leader of your clan?”

This willingness to use a disguise was exactly what Bei Haishi sought, for he did not want the Snow Mountain School to know that Ding Busan had become involved with the clan. Yet, Bei did not reveal his thoughts and emotions, preferring instead to say: ”Third Master Ding, please do anything you wish.”

Ding Busan and his grand-daughter followed Shi Potian to his room, where Shijian had dozed off. When they pushed the door open, the maidservant woke up with a start. Jumping off the bed, she was even more surprised to see the Dings.

Unable to make things clear to Shijian within a short period of time, Shi Potian simply said, ”Elder Sister Shijian, they would like to put on some disguises. You ... you go and help them.” He was deeply worried that the maidservant would ask about this and that, for the marriage ceremony that he had underwent earlier was not something that he could freely speak of. Hence, he headed for the decorated reception hall beyond the room as soon as he had given the brief instructions.