This angered Qiu Chuji greatly: "I have already given you people a lot of face and that should be enough. I also admitted defeat, what else do you want? The sword is for my protection," he continued, "just like that staff Big Brother Ke carries around."
"Are you poking fun at my blindness?" Ke Zhen’E shouted back.
"I dare not!"
"We are all injured right now, so it's hard to actually fight at this moment." Ke Zhen’E shouted angrily. "So I invite priest Qiu to come and duel with the seven of us a year from today at the Pavilion of the Drunken Immortal."
Qiu Chuji frowned at that remark. He thought, “Because the Seven Freaks weren't bad people, there was really no point in keeping this grudge going between us. The day after the Venerable Jiaomu died, Han Baoju could have killed me easily once he got out from underneath the bell. Besides, this whole matter was caused more or less by my own rashness. A real man knows what's right and wrong. If he's wrong then he should admit it. To sort all this out with the Freaks won't be easy either.” After thinking silently for a bit, an idea suddenly came to him, "If you really want to determine who is better between us, then we could do that," he said. "But only according to the rules I lay down. Otherwise, I have already lost to Hero Zhu at the Pavilion of the Drunken Immortal, and I lost again fighting here in the temple. I have already lost twice and would inevitably lose the third time as well, there’s no point in going any further."
Han Baoju, Han Xiaoying, and Zhang Ahsheng immediately stood up, the other four could not stand but all sat up as much as they could. They answered in unison: "When the Seven Freaks of the South duel with someone, we always let our opponent choose the time, place, and method."
Seeing how competitive they were, Qiu Chuji smiled: "So I decide how we should fight no matter what?"
Figuring that no matter what dirty trick Qiu Chuji would come up with, it wouldn't necessarily mean defeat for them, Zhu Cong and Quan Jinfa answered simultaneously: "That's right!"
"A man's word..." Qiu Chuji replied.
"... wild horses can't bring back!" Han Xiaoying finished, but Ke Zhen’E remained silent.
[The saying "A man's word can't be brought back by wild horses" is a famous saying in China about keeping one's word. When a person says it, it means that he will not go back on his word.]
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"If you people feel that my way is unfair in any way," Qiu Chuji continued, "then I will admit defeat right here and now." Obviously planning to gain ground by giving up a little, he knew that the Freaks would never let him admit defeat that easily because of their competitiveness.
"There’s no need to play all these word games to anger us, just tell us what it is," Ke Zhen’E
replied, as expected.
Qiu Chuji sat down and began to explain: "The method I have in my mind might be a little bit dragged out, but what it really measures is abilities and skills and is susceptible to some temporary mishaps or conditions. Everyone knows any martial artist can fight with blades and fists. We all have names in the martial world and absolutely cannot stoop down to the level of lowly underlings.”
"What's left to fight with if we can't do it with blades or fists? Are we having a drinking contest again?" All of the Freaks wondered at that comment.
"This huge contest between us, you seven against me, will not only measure our kung fu skills, but also our will, determination, and wit. With this contest, we will see once and for all who the real hero is."
This entire conversation had all of the Seven Freaks shaking in anticipation and excitement. "Stop stalling, tell us!" Han Xiaoying demanded. "The harder it is the better!"
"If we are competing meditating, making medicine, fortunetelling, or ghost-banishing, then we are no match for priest Qiu at all." Zhu Cong said with a smile.
"And I don't really want to compete with Second Brother Zhu in stealing chickens or taking sheep."
Qiu Chuji replied with a smile.
This caused a little bit of laughter from Han Xiaoying, who quickly went back to urging Qiu Chuji on: "Come on, say it!"
"At the very bottom of all of this and the misunderstanding that led to our fight, was saving the descendants of a couple of good men. This matter would be best ended in that way as well." Qiu Chuji went on to tell how he met with Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin all the way to how he pursued Duan Tiande to this temple. Throughout his entire explanation, the Freaks could not stop cursing the Jin as well as the Song government for its corruption.
After he finished the story, Qiu Chuji went on: "That woman that Duan Tiande dragged away was Guo Xiaotian's widow, Madam Li. Other than Big Brother Ke and the Han siblings, I'm sure the other four of you saw them."
"I remember her voice," Ke Zhen’E interrupted, "I will never forget that voice!"
"Great." Qiu Chuji continued, "As for Yang Tiexin's widow, Mrs. Bao, there is no clue as to where she might be. I have seen her before, but you people haven't. So what I propose we do is...."
"... the seven of us would go rescue Mrs. Li while you go save Mrs. Bao and that whoever succeeds wins. Right?" Han Xiaoying eagerly cut in.
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67
Qiu Chuji smiled and replied: "Saving people, while definitely not easy, can't really be used to determine who's a hero and who's not. What I have in mind is much harder and more troublesome."
"So what are you suggesting?" Ke Zhen’E demanded.
"Both of the women are pregnant," Qiu Chuji explained. "After we save them, we must make sure they settle down nicely and allow them to give birth. After that I will teach the Yang child while the seven of you teach the Guo child...."
The Seven Freaks were getting more and more amazed with every word that he said. They were practically mesmerized when Han Baoju cut in: "Then what?"
"After eighteen years, when the kids are both eighteen, all of us, as well as invited friends from all over the martial realm, shall gather at the Pavilion of the Drunken Immortal once again for a huge feast. Then, when we are all sufficiently full and merry, we'll let the two kids duel to see whether it is my disciple who is better or is the disciple of the Seven Heroes really the best." The Seven Freaks stared at each other, completely speechless.
Qiu Chuji continued: "If the Seven Heroes fight me once more and defeat me, then it could easily be because you outnumber me; not much glory there. But if I pass all my kung fu to one person and you guys pass all of your kung fu to one person, then whichever one wins must mean that their master or masters were better."
Filled with pride, Ke Zhen’E slammed his iron staff onto the floor: "Alright! That's what we'll do!"
"What if that bastard Duan Tiande has already killed Mrs. Li? What then?" Quan Jinfa asked.
"That's just the luck of the draw," Qiu Chuji replied. "The heavens wanted me to win, what more could be said?"
"Alright!" Han Baoju pitched in with his opinion. "Rescuing widows and orphans was the right thing to do to begin with. Even if we weren't competing against you we would do it."
Qiu Chuji gave him a thumbs-up and declared: "Third Brother Han is exactly right. If the Seven Heroes are willing to care for the Guo child to adulthood, then I would like to thank everyone for my late Brother Guo." He bowed to each of them again.
"This idea of yours is rather cunning," Zhu Cong observed. "With those several sentences of yours, we brothers and sisters would have to give up eighteen years of our lives?" Qiu Chuji's face changed color a little and he suddenly let out a loud laugh.
"What's so funny?" Han Xiaoying demanded.
"I have long heard and admired the name of the Seven Freaks of the South," Qiu Chuji replied.
"Everyone says that the Seven Heroes are truly righteous heroes who are always there when you need them. But today, I see that the rumors were greatly exaggerated."
This made all of the Freaks furious. Han Baoju slammed his fist down onto the bench that he was sitting on and was about to say something when Qiu Chuji cut him off: "Since ancient times, for real heroes and men, making a friend was for life in every way and giving one's life for a friend 68
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would be no big thing if loyalty and friendship called for it. Nobody has ever heard of Jing Ke and Nie Zheng haggling about some small thing. The Yang and Guo family are in need of help right now, how could anyone start haggling about it?" [In popular Chinese lore and most versions of Chinese history, Jing Ke and Nie Zheng were two great friends that had helped the Lord of Qi during the beginning of the Spring and Autumn Period. Their friendship was legendary and, in the view of most Chinese, including Confucius, the epitome of what friendship should be.]
After that little speech, Zhu Cong's face was flushed with embarrassment. He flicked his fan and replied, "The Reverend is right, I realize my mistake now. The seven of us will take on this matter!"
Qiu Chuji stood up and said: "Today is the twenty-fourth of the third month, eighteen years from today at noon, we'll meet again upstairs in the Pavilion of the Drunken Immortal. There, in front of all of the martial world, we will find out who's the real hero!" With a flick of his sleeve, he walked out of the door.