Chapter 5 - Full Moon Again
The fifteenth of the seventh month, clear.
It was a moonlit night, a full moon.
Ding Peng trusted Qing Qing completely.
If she said there’s a kind of liquor that if someone drinks it they will get drunk, no matter how good a drinker they were, he, for one, was absolutely convinced that whoever drank this liquor would get drunk.
He believed these eight taciturn and devoted old men would get drunk, and sure enough they did.
However, he really didn’t expect that Qing Qing’s grandmother would be the first one to get drunk.
She seemed to have something on her mind today. Her heart was heavier than anyone else’s, so she drank with them, faster and more than anyone else.
So she got drunk first.
And yet they kept drinking, not saying a word, a cup for you, a bowl for me, non-stop.
They seemed determined not to stop until they were drunk.
The way they drank, even if they hadn’t been drinking this kind of liquor, they would still have been drunk.
They were all drunk now.
The reception hall of the small house in the flower garden was smaller than the one in the palace, but far more ornate. There were only two sober people left there.
They were also the only two sober people in the entire valley.
Qing Qing looked at Ding Peng. Ding Peng looked at Qing Qing. His eyes were bursting with excitement and joy.
However, the expression in Qing Qing’s eyes was conflicted.
This was her home. She was born and raised here, all her family was here.
Now she was leaving, going to a world that was completely foreign to her. It was unlikely that she would ever return again, nor could she.
Naturally, she was very confused.
She certainly couldn’t leave as easily as Ding Peng could.
Ding Peng suddenly sighed and said, “I know what’s on your mind. I also know that you are reluctant to leave here.”
She forced a smiled, “I really am a little reluctant to leave this place, but I am even more reluctant to leave you.” Ding Peng definitely wasn’t going to encourage her to stay.
He wouldn’t even say it as a gesture of goodwill.
Qing Qing stared at him and asked, “Are you really willing to take me away?”
He answered, “Of course I am.”
She said, “It’s still not to late to change your mind. I can let you go alone.”
Ding Peng said, “I told you, wherever I go, you go. If I am there then you are there!”
She asked, “You don’t regret it?”
Ding Peng said, “Why would I regret it?”
Qing Qing finally smiled. Though her smile was tinged with the sorrow of parting, it was brimming with tenderness and honeyed feelings.
All a woman asked for was someone she could rely on and stay with for the rest of her life.
Whether she was a woman or a female fox, it was all the same.
Before she left, Qing Qing couldn’t help but wanting to go look upon her stern, yet kindly grandmother.
She couldn’t resist kneeling down and kissing her wrinkled face.
This goodbye may be forever, even Ding Peng felt a little heartsick, but he couldn’t help saying, “If we want to leave, we’d better go fast, before they wake up…”
Qing Qing said, “They absolutely won’t come to.”
She stood up, saying, “This liquor is made from my grandfather’s secret recipe. Even if a Daoist immortal drank this liquor he wouldn’t wake up for six shichen*.”
*(shichen-two hour period)
Ding Peng was relieved and said, “If we have six shichen (12 hours), that should be plenty of time.”
He had barely finished speaking when he heard someone laugh heartily, “That’s right. Six shichen is enough.”
Everyone laughed.
There were people laughing everyday. There were people laughing everywhere.
But Ding Peng had never heard such laughter before. It hadn’t ever occurred to him that such laughter could even exist in the world.
The booming laughter resonated, as if hundreds or thousands of people were laughing at once.
The laughter was suddenly in the east, then in the west, as if there were people laughing in every direction.
But one person had made all this noise, one person only.
Because Ding Peng had already spotted this person.
He was an extremely thin, very dark, black-robed old man who looked like an air-dried black date.
There had been no one at the door, absolutely no one.
But now this black-robed old man was blocking the doorway.
Ding Peng was not blind or bleary-eyed, but he still hadn’t seen this old man appear, let alone where he came from.
He was just suddenly standing there.
He was still laughing, shaking the cups and dishes on the table, until they made a ‘ding ding’ sound. Some of them even shattered.
Not only were Ding Peng’s ears numb from the shock, his skull felt as if it was about to split open.
He would do whatever this old man asked to get him stop laughing.
He had never imagined that a man’s laughter could contain such terrible power.
Qing Qing was pale, her eyes full of terror, she said, “What are you laughing at?”
Although her voice was shrill, it pierced the laughter like a needle.
The black-robed old man laughed forcefully, “These eight little foxes* all have two arms and this old female fox is even harder to deal with. To be honest, it wouldn’t be easy for me to take them all down one by one. Who would have thought that someone would’ve already done it for me? It saves me a lot of trouble.”
*(húli-fox meaning a sly & dangerous person. He uses húli as opposed to Hu {fox} here)
Qing Qing’s face changed and she said sternly, “Who are you? What do you want?”
The old man stopped laughing and coldly said, “I came to peel your fox hides and make a coat for my grandson.” Qing Qing sneered and moved suddenly, pulling out the scimitar Ding Peng had slung on his belt.
The green sword light, curved, started off like a hooked crescent moon, then suddenly became a flying rainbow.
Ding Peng knew the might of this saber. He believed that no one in the world could receive this blow.
Unfortunately he was wrong.
The old man’s sleeves rolled out like black clouds and the flying rainbow was suddenly swept away.
Qing Qing flipped out of the way, so shocked that she flew back three zhang*, landing unsteadily.
*(zhang=ten feet, so 30 feet)
The black-robed old man scorned, “Going by this little bit of fox (húli) ability, you’re not even close (to mine).” Qing Qing’s face turned deathly pale and she edged back one-step at a time. There was still a door behind her.
From the other doorway the old man sneered, “Are you think of getting that old fox (húli) to help? Have you forgotten that on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when the moon is full, yin and yang intertwine and his training reaches a critical point. Even if I skinned you right in front of his face, he wouldn’t dare move, otherwise he risks fire-deviation with no hope of reprieve.” Qing Qing hadn’t forgotten. All the blood drained from her face.
She knew they couldn’t escape this catastrophe.
The old man suddenly turned and stared at Ding Peng, “You are a human, not a fox (hú)?” Ding Peng couldn’t deny it.
The old man said, “I only kill foxes (hú), not humans.”
He waved his hand, “Just go. You better leave quickly. Don’t wait for me to change my mind.” Ding Peng was shocked. He really couldn’t believe this old man was willing to let him go.
He was a human, not a fox (hú). This was a fox (hú) calamity; it really had nothing to do with him.
He was still young. With the wugong he had mastered, he could easily roam* jianghu, looking down^ on wulin.
*(zòng heng-move about unhindered)
(ào shì-turn up one’s nose; show disdain for; regard superciliously)
As long he could return to the human world, he could breath easy, and make a name for himself*.
*(chūréntóudì)
Now that the old man had let him off, he would certainly want to leave.
The black-robed old man coldly said, “Why haven’t you left? Do you want to die along with them?”
Ding Peng suddenly shouted, “Yes!”
He dashed forward and stood in front of Qing Qing, “If you want to kill her, you have to kill me first.” Qing Qing’s whole body softened, as it seemed to melt, becoming one with Ding Peng.
She looked at him and didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry?
Her heart was filled with joy, wonder, gratitude, and a tenderness so deep it could not be melted.
Tears ran down her cheeks again, “Are you really willing to die with me?”
“I have said, there is no me without you, there is no you with me. No matter where you go, I’ll be with you.”
The black-robed old man asked, “You really want to accompany her in death?”
Ding Peng said, “Absolutely!”
The black-robed old man scoffed, “It’s not easy for you to die!”
Ding Peng said, “I’m afraid it’s not very easy.”
He pounced, using every ounce of his strength to lunge at the old man.
He was no longer the Ding Peng of four years ago.
His movements* were subtle and miraculous, his strikes precise and swift. His wugong was in no way below that of any of the renowned experts in wulin.
*(shēnfǎ- pose or motion of one’s body in martial arts)
Whether this old man was a man, a ghost or a fox, it wouldn’t be easy to kill him (Ding Peng).
Unfortunately, he was wrong again.
His body had barely left the ground, when he saw a dark cloud flying right at him. He wanted to dodge it, but couldn’t.
Once again he fell into darkness, vast, bottomless, infinite darkness.
Suddenly there was light in the darkness, moonlight, a full moon.
When Ding Peng opened his eyes he saw a full moon like a circle of ice. He also saw Qing Qing’s eyes, which were even gentler than the moonlight.
Whether in heaven or on earth, there would never be a third pair of eyes this gentle.
Qing Qing was still by his side.
Whether he was dead or alive, whether he was in heaven or on earth, Qing Qing was still by his side.
There were sill tears in her eyes.
These eyes, the full moon, and the scene were all almost exactly the same as the last time Ding Peng had woken up again after dying under the sword of that golden-robed, golden-bearded old dwarf.
But last time he didn’t die.
What about this time?
He hadn’t died this time either. Not only did he not die, neither did Qing Qing. Why did that dreaded black-robed old man let them go?
Was it because of their true love, their foolishness?
Ding Peng asked, “I’m really not dead?”
Qing Qing said, “I’m still alive, how can you be dead? If you die, how can I live?” There were tears in her eyes, but they were tears of joy. “As long as we’re together, we won’t die, we’ll be together for all eternity.”
He said, “But I don’t understand!”
“What can’t you understand?”
Ding Peng said, “I can’t figure out how that old monster in the black robe could let us get away.”
Qing Qing smiled. Her smiling face shimmered with tears that glistened in her dimples as she said, “Because that old monster isn’t really an old monster.”
“Who is he?”
She said, “He is none other than my (paternal) grandfather.”
Ding Peng was even more confused.
She went on, “He knew that sooner or later you would want to leave. He was aware of every move we made, so he made a bet with my grandma.”
He asked, “What did they bet?”
She said, “If you were really good to me, if you were still willing to die for me, he would let us go.” She did not go on, nor did she need to.
The whole thing was merely a test, a test to see whether Ding Peng truly loved Qing Qing.
If Ding Peng had abandoned her in the middle of a crisis, he would undoubtedly be a dead man by now.
Qing Qing held his hand.
His palms were clammy with cold sweat.
She gently said, “Now they are finally convinced that you didn’t lie to me, that you will not abandon me wherever you go. That’s why they let me go with you.”
He rubbed his eyes, “What is this place?”
Qing Qing said, “This is earth.”
Ding Peng asked, “We have really returned to the human world?”
She said, “Really!”
Ding Peng realized for the first time how beautiful the earth was, how delightful.
He had once been so fed up with this world that he didn’t want to live anymore. At this moment he realized just how beautiful life really was. It was a blessing just to be alive.
The full moon had been talked about.
The dark firmament had gradually been painted white by the dawn. There were already sounds of people in the distance.
The sound of a baby crying, the sound of a mother scolding, the sound of a bucket being lowered into a deep well to lift water, the sound of a spatula stir-frying in an iron pot, the sound of a wife forcing her husband to get up to farm, the sound of a husband looking for his shoes under the bed, the sound of a young couple in love, the sound of an old couple bickering, the sound of a chicken crowing and a dog barking…
These were the sounds of a teeming city coming to life, bursting with human love.
Some of these sounds Ding Peng could hear, some he could not. But even though his ears could not hear them, they resonated in his heart.
Because these sounds were already familiar to him.
He had heard them in his hometown, a small, humble village, when his mother got him up in the morning to get dressed.
Ding Peng suddenly said, “The first thing I must do is go and see my mother.”
As soon as he said these words, he suddenly thought of something that he didn’t want to think about—
She’s a fox—
How could he bring a fox wife to meet his stubborn old mother? Yet how could he not bring her?
Qing Qing hung her head. Her powers of perception were far keener than a normal person’s. She had clearly sensed what was on his mind.
She gently asked, “Can you take me with you?”
Ding Peng said, “I will definitely take you with me.”
Thinking of how she truly loved him, about all the sacrifices she had made for him, he couldn’t help but hug her and said, “I told you, no matter where I go, I will absolutely take you with me.”
Qing Qing gazed up at him, her eyes filled with gratitude and tenderness, “I will certainly go and meet your mother, but I don’t want to meet anyone else. No matter who you are going to meet in the future, it is better if I don’t show my face.”
He asked, “Why?”
Qing Qing forced herself to smile, “You should know why.”
Ding Peng said, “But there’s no way that they could tell that you…”
She said, “I know it’s unlikely that anyone would figure out that I’m a fox, but… that doesn’t change the fact I’ll always be a fox. I’m better off not meeting mortals if I can avoid it.” She still seemed troubled. Of course, having suddenly arrived in a completely unfamiliar world, it was inevitable to be troubled.
Ding Peng held her hand and gently said, “I will never force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”
She laughed and said, “But sometimes I must force you, and you must listen to me.” Before he could say anything, she asked, “What do you intend to do after you see your mother?” He didn’t answer.
His blood was already hot. He was bursting with great ambition. There were many things he wanted to go do.
Qing Qing said, “I know what you want to do. Not only do you want to make a name for yourself*. You want to vent your anger even more.” Ding Peng admitted as much.
*(chūréntóudì)
The injustice he had suffered must be wiped clean. The insults he suffered must be avenged. Not for one day had he ever forgotten these things.
Qing Qing said, “Before we left, my grandfather repeatedly told me that if you wanted to become famous, to seek vengeance, there are a few things you must remember.”
Ding Peng said, “What? Tell me!”
Qing Qing said, “You must never make a move, unless it’s absolutely necessary. If you’re dealing with someone who’s not worth fighting, you shouldn’t fight.” She added, "You must carefully choose a good target for your first fight. As long as you defeat him, your name will spread in jianghu. Then you don’t need to make anyone else your enemy!” She further explained, “According to my grandfather, no matter how good your wugong is, how famous you are, if you have too many enemies, sooner or later the day will come when you’re forced into a dead end*.”
*(iow-left with no way out figuratively or literally)
Ding Peng said, “I understand your grandfather’s meaning. I will definitely do what he says!”
She said, “So your actions should not be too merciless, you must never kill to the last one*.” She cautioned, “If you want people to sincerely respect you, you must leave others an avenue of retreat******.”
*(gǎnjìnshājué-idiom meaning ruthless, wipe out the opposition)
**(the opposite of forcing people down a dead end)
“I understand!”
Qing Qing said, “There is still one more thing that is even more important!”
Ding Peng asked, “What?”
Qing Qing’s scimitar still on his waist!
She said, “My grandmother gave this to you, so my grandfather allowed you to take it with you. But you must not use this saber, except as a last resort.” She looked more cautious, “If you have to use this saber, your opponent absolutely must die under it. Once it has been unsheathed, you cannot leave your opponent’s mouth alive.”
Ding Peng asked, “If the other person isn’t someone I want to kill, if they haven’t forced me down a dead end, I cannot use this saber?”
Qing Qing said, “You absolutely can’t use it!”
She smiled again and said, “But you can rest assured that with your current wugong, you will be unrivalled under heaven, no matter what saber you use.”
By then the sun had risen. The sunshine illuminated the beautiful mortal world.
=================
October, Indian summer.
Daybreak.
Liu Ruosong pushed open the window. The sun was shining outside, the air was fresh, and today would undoubtedly be another sunny day.
He was born in the Year of the Dog and was now 47 years old, but there were still no wrinkles on his face. He always stayed in peak physical condition for a man in his sexual prime. Not only was he still attracted to women, women were also attracted to him.
He was rich, healthy and handsome. In recent years, his heroic reputation had flourished in jianghu. People frequently addressed him as ‘Great Hero’. People had great respect for him, whether they knew him or not.
Although his many friends couldn’t match his status, wealth and reputation, they were still a good match for him. On every beautiful spring and autumn day, they would come to have a good time with him.
He was always very well received, wherever he went.
He believed that if the Wudang Sect could have a lay disciple* as its Zhengmen**, he was the only choice.
*(someone who hadn’t taken religious vows. IOW not a Taoist priest/monk)
**(Zhengmen- of a religious sect)
This was originally nothing more than a fantasy, but now there was a possibility of it being realized.
His Wansong Villa had spacious grounds with an excellent view. It was a famous institution in jianghu.
His wife was a famous beauty in jianghu, as well as being intelligent and capable.
Husband and wife had always shared a very intimate relationship. If he ever had any difficulties, she would deal with them for him, no matter what.
He had everything a man could wish for and was quite satisfied.
But recently there was something making him quite unhappy.
His room was at the highest point of Wansong Villa. If he opened the window, he would see a green hillside across from him, covered with beautiful trees and lush green grass, not a soul in sight.
Whenever he beheld this scene, he felt a sense of pride in his heroic belief of ‘Being Supreme Under Heaven’*. Even if something were bothering him, all his worries would be forgotten.
*(tiān-heaven; tǔ dì-land; xià-under, hóu-throat; wǒ-I; dú zūn-hold supremacy, dominate: ‘Under Heaven, My voice is supreme’; iow-I think its something like ‘master of all he surveys’)
Unexpectedly, major construction had recently begun on this hillside.
Early every morning, the racket began on the opposite hillside, which not only shattered his tranquility and disturbed him all day, but also wounded his pride.
Because the house being built there was even larger than his Wansong Villa.
Workmen came from all over the area around the two rivers, the northern part of Guanzhong and Shanbei (in Shaanxi province). Even the famous civil engineers and master carvers from far south of the Yangtze River had been invited.
(also possible that it is …carvers from as far south as Lianjiiang (in Fuzhou, far to the south)
The manpower involved in building this house was twenty times that which was used to when Wansong Villa was built.
With so many people to help, of course the house was going up quickly.
Every morning when Liu Ruosong opened the window and looked at the unfinished villa, he would find either an additional pavilion or a (storied) building on the opposite side of the hill, either an additional pond or a grove of flowers.
If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he would have believed it was a miracle.
The general manager overseeing the construction of this remarkable estate* was surnamed Lei. He was the second boss of the capital’s ‘Model Lei^’ family.
*(zhuāng yuan-lit ‘manor compound’. I will use estate)
(“样子雷”-yàngzi léi-I’m open to better suggestions)
The Lei family was the oldest and most prestigious civil construction firm in the capital. They had even built the inner courtyard of the Imperial Palace.
According to Foreman Lei, a ‘Ding gongzi’* was paying for the construction of this estate.
*(gongzi-literally your (honorable) son [honorific]; iow-essentially a formal, polite way of referring to a young man of means as Mister or master. Often translated as ‘young master’.)
Ding gongzi had decided to have a banquet in his new residence on the fifteenth day of the twelfth month. Therefore, this villa must be completed by the middle of the month.
He would spare no expense to as long as the work could be completed by this deadline. The cost was immaterial.
He had already opened accounts with the four major banks in the capital. Foreman Lei only had to issue a note* and he could withdraw the money at any time.
*(iow-a withdrawal slip)
Foreman Lei was a man of the world, but he said, “I have never met anyone as extravagant as Ding gongzi.” What kind of person was this Ding gongzi? What were his origins? How was it possible to be so grandiose and spend so ostentatiously?
Liu Ruosong couldn’t help but be curious.
He must get to the bottom of this Ding gongzi’s history and background, even right down to the roots.
What he has decided he wants to do, must be done.
He had left the matter in his wife’s hands. Madam Liu had never disappointed him.
Madam Liu’s maiden name was Keqing* —
*(kě-very; qing- passionate)
Not Kexiao (ridiculous), it was Keqing—
Qin Keqing.
Madam Liu was also born in the Year of the Dog. She was 35 this year, a full thirteen years younger than Liu Ruosong.
But even the most discerning person would never be able to tell her true age.
Her waist was still slim and supple, her skin was still soft and smooth, her belly was still flat. There was not a single wrinkle on her face.
She was more charming and attractive now than she was when she first married Liu Ruosong.
Even the most jealous person had to admit that she was an extraordinary, rare beauty.
Only a man who had slept with her could truly understand the meaning of these two words ‘rare beauty’.
Even now, Liu Ruosong could clearly picture the charming scenery of their honeymoon, the lustful ecstasy she gave him. There wasn’t a second woman on earth that could compare to her.
But time was a harsh mistress. Liu Ruosong wasn’t getting any younger after all*. He had gradually begun to feel that the spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak.^
*(Literally says ‘But time is merciless. After all, Liu Ruosong was gradually getting older.’ )
(lì bù cóng xīn-idiom-lit. ‘strength disobeys the heart’. IOW-he could no longer get it up like he used to)
He had even begun to get a little worried.
Just like most middle-aged husbands invariably become a little henpecked by their wives, because they have gradually become unable to satisfy them.
Even though they had been living separate lives for many years, husband and wife still had extremely deep affection for each other.
It was a very deep, yet very subtle affection.
Madam Liu frequently went off on her own. He never concerned himself with where she was.
Because he knew his wife was rare beauty. He also believed that she would never betray him.
As long as she didn’t betray him, why couldn’t he let her have a little bit of purely physical pleasure?
He often told himself he was an unusually ‘open-minded person’. Maybe this was the reason their relationship had lasted this long.
Only a man as open-minded as him could marry a ‘rare beauty’.
If a man was married to a ‘rare beauty’, he could never fully enjoy it.
===============
High noon.
Sunlight filled the window as Madam Liu sat in a pear wood* chair, using a handkerchief to wipe her perspiration.
*(**huālí-**a kind of rosewood)
Although it was already the end of the tenth month, the weather was still quite warm.
Madam Liu dreaded the cold, she also dreaded the heat, because she had never endured the slightest hardship. (iow-she had always been pampered)
Some women were unlikely to ever have to endure hardships, because they were far more intelligent and beautiful than other women.
She unbuttoned her jacket, revealing her beautiful jade-like white puffy breasts, and panted softly.
Liu Ruosong had to force himself not to look at her.
Around some young girls, he was still very manly and could still make them swoon, but he was utterly defeated in the presence of his wife.
So he had to control himself to avoid experiencing another ‘crushing defeat’.
Madam Liu smiled and said with a chuckle, “Don’t tell me the tiger penis* I brought you back from Guandong last time didn’t work either?” Liu Ruosong pretended not to hear.
*(used in traditional Chinese medicine-basically a cross between an aphrodisiac & Viagra)
The tiger penis wasn’t useless. It just didn’t work on her.
Changing the subject, he asked, “Have you found out the origins of that gongzi?”
Madame Liu said, “Yes.”
Liu Ruosong asked, “Who is he?”
Madam Liu said, “He is an old acquaintance of ours. But you’ll never guess who he is.” Her eyes lit up like she was remembering something that excited her.
He asked, “Who is he?”
“He is called Ding Peng,” she answered.
“Ding Peng?” gasped Liu Ruosong. “Is it that Ding Peng?”
Madam Liu said, “That’s him…”
Liu Ruosong’s expression changed. He was certainly unlikely to forget this ‘Ding Peng’ person and he was even more unlikely to forget that ‘Heavenly Meteor’ move.
It wasn’t like he didn’t know the method his wife had used to swindle this ‘Heavenly Meteor’ move.
Madam Liu certainly had her reasons for looking so excited.
Although he had always believed that the price she had paid was worth it, his heart was nevertheless a little sour. He said indifferently, "I can’t believe he’s still alive, aren’t you happy?”
Madam Liu scowled fiercely and sneered, “What do I have to be happy about? You’re not the one he hates the most, I am.”