Meeting in Old Banhe
“Why did you agree to come along in the first place?” Nie Mudan speaks nervously and accusingly, clutching onto her sister’s sleeves. The path that Madam Nie had suggested that you follow to the meeting spot is rather dark and eerie, and the Huashan Twin Flowers are rather unsettled.
Nie Shuixian shakes her head, and gives an uncertain reply. “We’ve always wanted to press Mother about certain issues, haven’t we? I thought this would be a good chance.”
“As if! You were just interested in going along with the pervert, weren’t you?”
“Of course not!” comes the vehement denial.
You let out a groan of annoyance as you try to keep your lantern steady. “Could the two of you please keep it down, and not talk about me like I’m not here? We’re almost there.” You had tried to get the twins to stay hidden, but they just weren’t trained for it; you found it highly doubtful that Madam Nie would be unable to detect their presence. So you gave up. You do not even know how you convinced them to come along in the first place; it had only been a whim of yours that strangely succeeded when Nie Shuixian agreed without a second thought. Nie Mudan had felt obliged to tag along, unwilling to let her sister venture into strange, dark places along with a known molester.
You arrive at the little clearing surrounded by buildings in disrepair; an older section of Banhe Town, abandoned when the small tributary flowing through this area dried up.. There is no one in sight.
“T-t-t-there’s no one around. W-were we lured here so that he could have his way with us?” gasps Mudan.
“I… don’t know.” Shuixian is wary now, the twin sisters backing away from you while clinging onto each other. Perhaps coming along with you was a bad idea after all, given your reputation for lechery. “Maybe we should wait for a while, until that woman shows up.”
“That woman? Is that how you address your mother?”
You whip around as fast as you can, confronting the voice behind you. The shadows appear to part, revealing Madam Nie as she steps forward, holding a small lantern in her hand. She looks directly at the twins. “What are the two of you doing here?”
“To catch you in the act of betraying Father,” says Shuixian challengingly. “Meeting with a man in the night, just by yourself… what were you thinking, Mother?”
“Really, Xu Jing? You expect me to talk to you with these two girls around?” Madam Nie’s lips curl up in a smile. “And as for the two of you, I could say the same. Why, if your father knew that you had walked off to a deserted place in the middle of the night together with the infamous Man Tiger Pig, known for having a bevy of women all over the country… what would he think?”
Given what you have seen of Nie Wuxing’s protectiveness towards his daughters, he would think nothing good of you. But you already knew that.
“You won’t distract us from what really matters, Mother,” says Mudan. “We already know that you have been guiding Father down a heretical path. We know about the convicts in the prison, and how you have been chasing after the legendary manuals at all costs.”
“You have been a little more perceptive than I gave you credit for, my dears,” says Madam Nie dismissively, “but you still know nothing. This is nothing more than paranoid speculation.” She puts one hand to her chin, as if a thought suddenly struck her. “Oh, perhaps… are you jealous of your baby brother? Are you scared that your father will pay less attention to you now that he has an actual heir that can carry on the family line?”
“Of course not!” cries out Shuixian. “This isn’t about Baojun.” Shuixian looks slightly pale after hearing Madam Nie’s words, but rallies together quickly, her brow set in determination. “You are one to talk, but are you really the Liao Xiuyue that Father loved?”
“Why, yes, that is my name,” she replies, her well-groomed eyebrows arching up.
“Really? We think-“
Madam Nie raises a hand, giving them a pitying look. “Wuxing only took the both of you in because your departed father was his sworn brother, did you know that? The obligations of an orthodox pugilist, and all that. It certainly wasn’t his first choice. I am sure you knew that. That is why you are being so rebellious as of late, aren’t you?”
“We… we didn’t know,” mumbles Mudan.
“Well, that is alright. It does not change anything at all,” continues Madam Nie. “Stop this foolishness and realize that your father and I have come to love the both of you like our own, after all these years. Your little brother will not change the relationship between us.”
“I have heard of Liao Xiuyue,” you interrupt jovially and suddenly, changing the topic of your own initiative. “Chi Tianxie had plenty to say about her.”
Madam Nie smiles at you, but her heart clearly isn’t into it. “What that man has to say is irrelevant.”
“You consider your past irrelevant, Madam Nie?”
“Of course. I made mistakes back then. The follies of youth. The both of you would do well to keep that in mind when… consorting with undesirable elements,” she says, addressing the twins.
“You consider Qilin a mistake? I suppose I shall have to tell her that,” you say sadly.
A rare flash of anger surfaces in Madam Nie’s eyes as she struggles to keep her voice calm and in control. “…that is not what I meant. Qilin is… I do not regret having her.”
“Okay. If you say so,” you grin. “Perhaps we can move on to more important things now.”
“Perhaps not. I have wasted enough time with you and your tricks. I should have known better than to treat you like an adult,” she sniffs. “Girls, it is time to go back. I am sure you understand the importance of keeping what happened tonight a secret. It is for your father’s peace of mind.”
There is an awkward, prolonged silence as the twins stand around, not doing anything. You wonder if you should act.
And then, Nie Shuixian speaks up.
“I don’t think so.” She unsheathes her sword, eliciting a look of surprise from Nie Mudan. “There are many things you have to answer for, Mother. Tonight we will get the whole truth from you whether you like it or not. What you have been doing… and who you really are.”
Well, this isn’t what you expected. Then again, you realize that you do not know much about Shuixian and Mudan. Perhaps, in a way, this should have been an outcome that does not surprise you.
“What is the meaning of this?” says Madam Nie exasperatedly. “Are you not taking your youthful rebelliousness a little too far? Mudan, talk some sense into your sister.”
“I… I am with Shuixian,” stammers Mudan as she too draws her weapon. “I am afraid of you, and for you, Mother. I don’t think whatever you are planning will end up going well for our family and for Huashan. We have to stop you here.” It looks like the Huashan Twins seem to know quite a bit about Madam Nie’s plans, though they had not seen fit to share their knowledge with you. This might be a good opportunity for you to join hands with them and help them capture their mother.
Madam Nie sighs loudly. “So it came down to this. Very well. Tian’er, you can come out now.”
There is a slight thickening of the shadows behind her, gradually solidifying into a familiar silhouette as it approaches the light. Bai Jiutian steps out, looking extremely composed. She glances at you, and then at the twins. Though you had remained alert ever since you entered the clearing, you had failed to detect her presence.
“Bai-shixiong…” murmurs Shuixian.
“I am disappointed,” says Bai. “Why are the two of you here? Shifu would be extremely displeased if he found out you were dallying with Man Tiger Pig.”
“No! It’s not what you think!” protests Mudan. “We were just-“
“Enough.” Bai cuts her off. “What do you want to do, shimu?”
Madam Nie closes her eyes in thought, and then smiles. She says, “We will have to take the two girls back for re-education and discipline. They have been entirely too wayward as of late, exhibiting behaviour unbefitting a daughter of the Nie household.”
“And what about Xu Jing?”
“What do you think we should do?” she asks, staring at him.
Bai Jiutian looks at you quietly for a while. “He is too powerful for us to defeat without a prolonged fight, or giving him the chance to get away. Perhaps we can pretend none of this ever happened, and go back to the status quo,” she suggests. “That would be wiser, if Xu Jing agrees.”
“Stop talking about me like I’m not here,” you complain. "Madam Nie, I feel let down. I thought you wanted this to be a private encounter."
"You are one to talk!" she laughs cheerfully, before winking. "Well, I suppose the two of us are not so different after all, though Tian'er had orders not to do anything unless I said so. I was just being cautious... if things went as we planned, you would never have known he was here."
“Bai-shixiong, even if we have to fight you, we will not stand down,” declares Shuixian nervously.
Bai Jiutian shakes her head. “Stop being foolish. Now, come home with us. I’m sure that shifu and shimu will explain everything. They just cannot do so in the presence of an outsider. Am I right?”
Madam Nie nods sagely. “Yes, of course you are, Tian’er. We will tell you everything after you have been disciplined for your behaviour. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that we do not care for you, Shuixian, Mudan.”
It seems that the Twins are undecided at the moment. It may be safer to stick to the status quo, and go away with the small amount of knowledge that you have gleaned from this encounter. Shuixian and Mudan are family after all; Nie Wuxing would not let any harm come to them. They should be safe if you persuade them to lay down their arms.
***
A. You convince Nie Shuixian and Nie Mudan that they should return to Madam Nie, and agree to maintain the current situation. You escort them back to the inn, so that no misunderstandings with Nie Wuxing develop. You will have gained only a little from the excursion but lost little in return.
B. You convince Nie Shuixian and Nie Mudan to make a run for it with you. Somehow, you cannot bring yourself to trust that they will be entirely unharmed if they return at this moment; Madam Nie does not strike you as the sort to leave loose ends hanging. They may not be killed, but you cannot rule out any other foul trickery either.
C. You stand with Nie Shuixian and Nie Mudan in their fight. If that is what they want to do, you see no harm in supporting them. Besides, if you manage to capture Madam Nie for interrogation it would allow you to learn plenty.
1. You go after Madam Nie, leaving Bai Jiutian to the twins. Bai might not be willing to go all out against them, allowing them to buy time even if they are terribly outclassed.
2. You go after Bai Jiutian, leaving Madam Nie to the twins. Of the two, you feel that Bai is considerably more skilled, and a more difficult challenge. The twins should be able to subdue Madam Nie with a two-on-one advantage.
