1-1 - The Orders of the Government Change Seven Times
He waited for an order -- the order to have Zhuge killed.
Cai Jing had given the order: Wang Xiaoshi was to have Mr Zhuge assassinated.
His reason was: If Zhuge did not die, the country would not have peace.
The unspoken reason was: If he did not die, you would.
If Wang Xiaoshi did not succeed in assassinating Mr Zhuge, Cai Jing would have to put his authority over life and death into use, and have the 'Golden Breeze and Drizzling Rain Building' (Jin1 Feng1 Xi4 Yu3 Lou2) in the Capital destroyed right down to its foundations.
Wang Xiaoshi had once benefited from the kindness of the head of the Golden Wind and Drizzling Rain Building Su Mengzhen, and had become sworn brothers with both Su and his deputy. Consequently, the Golden Breeze and Drizzling Rain Building had become Wang's first choice in the Capital.
From the looks of things -- whether it was for the country and its people, or for friendship and loyalty -- Wang had no alternative but to have Zhuge killed.
Wang Xiaoshi did not have any other choices; he had to assassinate Zhuge.
"Kill Zhuge within three days, or you would have to bring your own head to me."
By then, two days had already passed.
There was only one day left.
If he wanted to eat rice, he would have to cook it. If he wanted to become knowledgeable, he would have to start reading. If he wanted to kill Zhuge, he would have to get close to Zhuge first ... and how that was to be done, did not seem to be particularly difficult.
Besides being highly skilled in martial arts, being unnoticed in his movements, as well as having no relations with the local authorities and federal government, Cai Jing and Fu Zongshu had chosen Wang Xiaoshi to assassinate Mr Zhuge because of two other key reasons:
One, Wang was a very intelligent and resourceful man who was also skilled in calligraphy, painting and medicine, subjects that Mr Zhuge himself was interested in.
Two, he was a disciple of the Resident of the Heavenly Robe (Tian1 Yi1 Ju1 Shi4). The Resident of the Heavenly Robe was the Second Elder Brother-at-Arms of Mr Zhuge, a relationship that made Wang Xiaoshi the most suitable person in this attempt to have Mr Zhuge killed. Not only had Wang a hundred different reasons to get close to his target, he could also do so without any problems.
Hence, the question now was: Could Wang Xiaoshi kill Mr Zhuge?
Wang had no answers ... for the moment.
There were many questions that could not be answered there and then, but after a period of time, these answers would naturally appear. Time could indeed provide answers to many questions beyond a shadow of doubt.
In fact, time itself was the greatest question, for there was no question that could be left unanswered in time.
Therefore, Wang Xiaoshi waited.
He waited for time to answer the question.
He waited for an order -- the order to have Zhuge killed.
Why had the order still not been handed down?
Now, the order had come.
By way of the Eighth Grand Master Long's trusted aides.
Long the Eighth had, under him, eight military officers who could cause flowers to blossom behind them and robes to open before them. These men were all individuals who could not be trifled with, yet in the face of this mission, they had become mere persons through which messages were passed.
The order had come in the middle of the night.
"Mr Zhuge arrived at the Residence of the Magnificent Marquis (Shen2 Hou2 Fu3) during the Chen hour (5 a.m. to 7 a.m.) today for a game of chess with the Great Master(1) Qiqing. This is the best opportunity to get into contact with him!"
Wang Xiaoshi began responding to the order, straightening his clothes and taking his sword. Just as he was about to depart on the mission, he received an unexpected order:
"There has been a change. Zhuge is headed for the Imperial Hall of the Black Ox (Qing1 Niu2 Gong1). It is more suitable to have him assassinated there tonight, during the Hai hour (11.00 p.m. to 1.00 a.m.)."
Wang Xiaoshi yawned, lay back and went to sleep. He had to ensure that he was sufficiently alert for the assassination that he would be carrying out later that night.
Yet, before he could actually fall asleep, his orders came again: "Regarding the assassination of Zhuge: The target has been alerted. Abort the mission completely."
Despite the message, Wang Xiaoshi could not return to bed.
He waited.
A new order came during the Chou hour (1.00 a.m. to 3.00 a.m.): "Due to his investigation into a serious crime, Mr Zhuge and his subordinates, Leng Xue(2) and Zhui Ming(3), will appear at the Building of Three Harmonies (San1 He2 Lou2) during the Wei hour (1.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.)."
Then, the order changed again: "Before Zhuge arrives at the Building of Three Harmonies, he will pass through the Alley of Tiles (Wa3 Zi3 Xiang4). That, in fact, is the best place for the assassination."
Wang Xiaoshi began to move his legs and rub his fingers. Anyone who saw him would think nothing more than his being cold, for it happened to be deep winter. No one would think that he was nervous.
Was he really a little nervous?
Each successive order had sounded more urgent than the preceding one.
Then, a terribly critical missive came: "Mr Zhuge has suffered a stroke. The treatment of his illness is being overseen by Physician Shu. Have Physician Shu killed first, then disguise yourself as an imperial physician and have Zhuge assassinated during the Shen hour (3.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.)."
"What a coincidence!" muttered Wang Xiaoshi.
Another message arrived. Marked 'The Final Secret Order' on its envelope, it said: "Prime Minister Fu has invited Zhuge to a banquet at the Peacock Restaurant (Kong3 Que4 Lou2) during the You hour (5.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.). When the Prime Minister shatters a wine-cup, proceed with the assassination."
No other orders came after that.
Seven of the 'Eight Flying Generals of the Dragon City' (Long2 Cheng2 Ba1 Fei1 Jiang1) who served the Eighth Grand Master Long had already been summoned to convey these messages.
Bending his fingers, Wang Xiaoshi made a count. In the two- shichen (four-hour) period between the start of the Zi hour (11.00 p.m.) and the end of the Chou hour (3.00 a.m.), he had received a total of seven orders. The place, time and method of assassination had been changed seven times.
Yet, regardless of these changes, one fact remained: The man still had to be killed. Zhuge still had to die.
The only question was: Could Wang Xiaoshi kill him at all?
If he could, he would have to do it; if he could not, he would still have to do it.
If he did not kill Zhuge, Lord Cai Jing and Prime Minister Fu Zongshu would take action against the Golden Breeze and Drizzling Rain Building. They would force the outstanding men of the realm of the rivers and lakes to go without a place of shelter in the city. Fang Henshao, Tang Baoniu, Zhang Tan and Wen Rou would have to be imprisoned. Besides, they (Fang and the others) would never let him (Wang) off!
Hence, in all reasonableness, he had to kill Zhuge for himself as well as for others!
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Definitions, explanations and/or words left generally in their original form:
Those covered in earlier chapters, if any, are not repeated.
- Great Master (da4 shi1 大师) = an honorary form of address for monks.
- Leng Xue (leng3 xue3 冷血) = literally means "cold-blooded".
- Zhui Ming (zhui1 ming4 追命) = literally means "life-pursuing".