The Southern Maniac
“You are an honest person,” says Lady Ji. “Very well. I shall grant you your desire.”
“What? Why does he get to join?” protests Qilin indignantly. Lady Ji only looks at her and smiles gently. “Because it was decreed by fate. Do not worry, Lady Chi. You will get your chance in four years’ time. Now, I will have to request that you leave us for a while – what follows next is by tradition private.”
Sticking her tongue out at you, Qilin reluctantly leaves the room. With a wave of her hand, Lady Ji beckons her servants over. They place two old teacups and an equally ancient-looking teapot in front of you. Steam is still rising from the spout; the tea is freshly brewed. “Serve the tea to indicate your status as the newest fellow of the manor. Drink the tea to demonstrate that you are a fellow of the manor. Then, the induction will be complete,” intones one of the servants.
You do so, carefully pouring out the tea into the two cups. With a respectful bow, you hold out one of the cups with both hands. Lady Ji accepts it gracefully, and with a swift gesture upends the cup, letting the tea splash over the floor. “With this, the gods of the earth recognize us.” You take up your own cup and down the contents in a single gulp. A slight chill runs through your brain as you do so. “With this, the immortals of the heavens bind us.”
“The ritual is finished. The price has been paid. Congratulation, Xu Jing. You are now a fellow of Luoying Manor.” Lady Ji smiles warmly. “Your name and visage will be made known to all the servants here after the winter solstice conference has ended; you will then have use of any room you wish… except my own chambers, of course.” You blush despite yourself.
“Thank you, my lady. You are too kind. I did not expect the ritual to be so simple,” you say.
“Simplicity is enlightening. Throughout the ages, Luoying Manor has abided by simplicity in principle, if not in deeds. Therefore, the ritual is simple. It calls for a person to cast away what he already knows in order to gain an open mind so that he may learn in a state of humility.”
You try to wrap your head around the lady’s words. “You mean… the price is some of my knowledge?”
“You may put it that way if you like, Xu Jing,” says Lady Ji amusedly. “I don’t feel any different. I can’t tell if I’ve forgotten anything,” you say.
“How would you remember that which you have forgotten?” laughs Lady Ji. “In any case, dear boy, you should retire to your chambers. The night is drawing to a close, and you should rest.”
***
The next day, you wake up well after the sun has risen. Upon making your way to the main hall you are beset by Qilin almost immediately. She begins pestering you with a barrage of questions about what happened after she left.
“Didn’t you eavesdrop or peek in on us?” you say with a mocking grin.
“I wanted to! But the servants were really too alert for me to do anything,” she complains. “So, what was it like?”
“It was rather simple,” you say. “Just some tea, and then she tells me I’ve lost a bit of my knowledge.”
“No further secrets I don’t already know from my father, then,” sighs Qilin as her shoulders slump in dejection. “I thought there’d be something to help me pass the trials.”
“Master Xu! Miss Chi!” Xiahou Yu approaches the both of you with a hearty greeting. “I haven’t had the chance to thank you for your aid last night.”
“Oh, it was nothing,” says Qilin. “Justice had to be served.” You scowl at her. As the young scholar begins to warm up to you, you discover that your suspicions of his background are correct. He is of the Xiahou clan, which has been recently exterminated by unknown assailants, and he is searching for any clues that may help him discover the mastermind behind the attack. Despite being prone to a certain amount of pompousness, he appears to be a good person at heart.
“I will be heading down to Yangzhou after this,” says Xiahou Yu. “I have heard that there is a respected place called Yuhua Hall which is known for its information-gathering capabilities. Hopefully I will find some leads there.” You suppose a brothel does hear many gossip from its customers, and it is respected in its own way, but Yu doesn’t appear to know that it is one. You spot Qilin smirking from the corner of your eye, a slight blush on her cheeks.
Well, it’s not your duty to tell him about the place. Besides, Yu seems so tense most of the time that it looks like he could do with some refreshment.
The rest of the conference passes without a hitch; you manage to learn little more as most of the participants begin splitting up into private circles for heavy scholarly discussion beyond your capability to follow. Despite having become a fellow, the inner court will remain closed to you until the conference ends – it looks like you will not be officially confirmed until then.
On the third and last day, Lady Ji appears to announce the fellows that have been selected this year. The new fellows are Guye Aluba, a nomad from the far north, Shan, the Bookwise Mountain Man, yourself, and to your surprise, Xiahou Yu. The four of you are escorted to the dais to applause from the rest of the attendees.
Afterwards, Lady Ji approaches you, a rare look of concern on her face. She leans in close to whisper in your ear. “Xu Jing, you must make haste back to your master immediately. I have prepared a boat at the pier.”
“What is the hurry, my lady?” you respond, puzzled.
“Zhang Jue has just left for Xuzhou. I fear he may be looking for your master.”
***
You jump off the boat before it has finished docking and break into a run. If the Southern Maniac has reached Master Yao and Cao’er…
You dash up the stairs of the inn and fling the doors to the room wide open. Master Yao is seated at the table, with Cao’er huddling behind him. Zhang Jue is perched on a chair across from your master, a teacup in his hand. Then, there are a group of wrinkled, stern looking old nuns standing in the corner of the room furthest away from the Southern Maniac.
“Ah, you are back, Jing,” Yao says calmly. “We have some visitors.”
“You are early, my apprentice,” says Zhang. “Have you found out all you needed to know?”
“You are the one who has stolen the Yuchang Sword,” says one of the nuns as she shakes her horsetail whip at you. “We request that you return it to us.”
“You have Emei’s beloved phallic object in your hands?” grins Zhang suddenly. “How amusing!”
The nuns sputter in outrage, but do not make any attempt to move towards the Southern Maniac for his insulting remark.
“So, Jing,” sighs Yao. “Apparently you have agreed to go with Master Zhang here and become his new apprentice.”
“I haven’t agreed to anything,” you say quickly. “My apologies to Master Zhang, but I am afraid I really cannot go with you at the moment.” Zhang Jue just raises his eyebrows, a cold smile on his face.
“Words will not work on him, Jing,” says Master Yao. “If you do not know Zhang Jue well, I do. He is not a man that will take his eyes off his prize. If you do not agree, he will likely kill me, and Cao’er, and then all of the nuns here. Then, if you are still resistant, he will kill you.”
“That is so,” nods Zhang sagely.
“Unfortunately, I am not so keen to hand my apprentice over to the Southern Maniac either. It is said that none of his disciples have survived six months under his tutelage. I will not send my apprentice off to certain death,” says Yao, a serious look coming over his face.
“There appears to be a slight misunderstanding here,” laughs Zhang Jue. “My last disciple lasted six months and three days, setting a new record.”
“You see?” says Master Yao as he gets up from his chair. “Jing, take Cao’er and run.”
“We do not care whose apprentice Xu Jing becomes,” says the head nun, “but all we want here is the sword.”
You glance at the nuns. Perhaps if you give them the sword…
“If you do anything as dull as handing the sword over, I will kill you first,” states Zhang Jue simply. The nuns glare at him, and then at you. You look around you, beginning to panic. It looks like everything is going to blow up into a messy fight in the next moment. This is all too risky. You fear that if a fight breaks out, Master Yao and Cao’er may be injured or killed, but you do not want to go off with Zhang Jue either for the sake of your own good health. You are keenly aware that you are nowhere close to squaring your debt with Master Yao too, and are loathe to abandon him.
***
A. You give the sword to the nuns, hoping to negotiate for their assistance against Zhang Jue. With their help, it could be possible that the Southern Maniac may be forced to retreat.
B. You do not give over the sword to the nuns. There’s no telling whether you can convince them to help you even if you do, and making this a three-way fight may help your chances in surviving.
---
1. You do as Master Yao says and flee with Cao’er. You have to keep her safe. This is no time to be reckless.
2. You stay behind to fight. You might not amount to much, but you are confident you won’t get in the way at least. An extra hand may prove vital in turning the tide of the fight.
***
C. You reluctantly agree to go with Zhang Jue, attempting to negotiate your release from Master Yao’s service so that he may leave safely with Cao'er. If he agrees, you will swear an oath of personal debt towards the Killer Physician in gratitude.