Chapter (2)
The period was the early Tang Dynasty. During the Tang era, the country experienced few wars, was extremely prosperous, and literature, poetry, and music flourished rapidly.
Hangzhou City
Hangzhou is a very beautiful city, dominated by religious temples and monasteries, and shaded by mountains and forests. Its residents live according to religious teachings, making evil and wrongdoing almost unheard of in Hangzhou. To the west of the city lies a vast lake, many li wide, which the locals simply call the West Lake.
At the northern edge of the lake stood a magnificent mansion built facing the water. Its grandeur was such that it could hardly be called a house; it was more fitting to call it a grand estate. Anyone could tell from a glance that this grand estate, built by exceptional architects, was not merely on par with the residences of wealthy merchants, but even surpassed the palaces of city lords and territorial rulers.
Especially when combined with the carefully planted trees and flowers within its compound and the serene beauty of the West Lake, the estate's location created a perfect beauty, as if crafted by a celestial being. At the entrance of the estate, "Blissful Estate" was inscribed in golden, embossed letters. One would not imagine the owner of this estate to be an ordinary person. Who could the owner of this estate be?
The owner of this magnificent estate was neither a wealthy merchant, a city lord, nor a renowned martial artist from the martial arts world. He was merely a great scholar. But not just any scholar. He was the great scholar Fong Zhou-ta, personally acknowledged and respected by the Tang Emperor himself.
There was indeed reason for the Emperor himself to respect him. The encyclopedia compiled by Fong Zhou-ta was highly renowned in the early Tang Dynasty, and his administrative methods and land dispute laws were so excellent that the Tang Emperor personally praised them and enacted them for official use in governing the state.
The mansion he currently resided in was also a gift from the Tang Emperor himself. He hadn't spent a single penny of his own wealth to build it. He didn't even have a single penny to spend. He was so uncovetous and benevolent that the entire city of Hangzhou revered and cherished him like a deity, simply by mentioning "Grandmaster Fong Zhou-ta." In other words, Fong Zhou-ta was a treasure of Hangzhou.
It was a beautiful day. Gentle breezes blew, causing ripples on the surface of the West Lake, subtly undulating like a young woman's silk scarf fluttering in the wind. The cool breeze sweeping across the lake was so clean and fresh that it seemed to infuse all who inhaled it with new energy.
The sky was a shrimp-pink hue. The brilliant color of the sky reflected on the lake's surface, turning the usually green lake water a shrimp-pink. At that moment, the harmonious blend of the Blissful Estate, the sky, and the West Lake created a breathtaking beauty for all who witnessed it.
Then...
A child stealthily emerged from a small side gate of the Blissful Estate and hurried towards a bushy patch of flowers not far from the lake.
The child was a boy, about 7 years old, and seemed lively and nimble. Beneath his dark, straight eyebrows were eyes that appeared full of wisdom and intelligence, and his chubby cheeks made him adorable and endearing.
The child's lips seemed slightly thin, suggesting he would be quite bold and decisive when he grew up. Overall, this child's physiognomy was extraordinary. One could say with certainty that he was destined to become a great and courageous man, a hero, in the future.
Upon reaching the spot where flowers bloomed profusely, creating a natural miniature garden, the child extended his hands and gently caressed the brightly colored blossoms. Then, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and smiled purely and clearly.
The child's smile was so pure and clean that one felt its innocent honesty emanated from him, spreading beyond the shores of the West Lake to encompass the entire world.
"Phew, finally I'm free! Grandpa just makes me study all day."
It was the child's soft murmur. Afterwards, the child happily played alone, chasing butterflies that were pollinating among the cluster of trees. This scene not only revealed the loneliness of a child without siblings or friends but also clearly highlighted the pure innocence of a true child.
After a while, a middle-aged man rushed out agitatedly from the same small gate the child had emerged from. With bulging eyes and a red nose, dressed in coarse cloth and straw sandals, it was obvious from a glance that he was a servant of the mansion's owner.
The man's face, seemingly anxious and worried, was more exaggerated than honest, making him appear more comical than pitiable. As he walked briskly from the side gate, he muttered to himself incessantly.
"Young master is playing again instead of studying. Oh dear, oh dear! The master will scold him if he finds out."
In reality, the man's demeanor showed he was more worried about the child being scolded than about any fault being placed on him. It was as if he held the belief that the young master was his life, his heart.
As he emerged from the side gate, the man nervously scanned his surroundings. After a while, his eyes settled on the child happily playing among the trees. His wide eyes filled with increasing compassion and love. A very endearing smile appeared on his usually gloomy face.
Love is indeed a mysterious thing.
Who was this clumsy man? And who was the child?
The child's given name was Jiefang. When his family name was added, his full name became Fong Jiefang.
Jiefang means liberation. It could perhaps refer to liberation from some bondage or someone who can break free from the cycle of Samsara.Fong Zhou-ta, the number one scholar of the Tang Dynasty, had given such a meaningful name to his only orphaned grandson.
The clumsy man was Wu Tatone, a trusted disciple and attendant of Fong Zhou-ta. When Fong Zhou-ta was 35, he adopted the 15-year-old orphaned and wandering Wu Tatone from the streets of Hangzhou, recognizing him as a younger brother.
From that day onwards, Wu Tatone followed Fong Zhou-ta faithfully, becoming a loyal confidant. For Wu Tatone, Fong Zhou-ta was his benefactor and his master. He was the kind of person who would sacrifice his life for Fong Zhou-ta with a smile, without the slightest hesitation.
Throughout Wu Tatone's life, he had shared in his master's successes and failures, joys and sorrows countless times. Although Fong Zhou-ta, the Tang Emperor's number one scholar and a treasure of Hangzhou, was brilliant in his scholarship, his family life had been unfortunate, which sometimes caused Wu Tatone deep anguish for his master.
Fong Zhou-ta's beloved wife, when their daughter was a year old, left him and their young daughter for reasons unknown, following another person. Heartbroken, Fong Zhou-ta withered like a sun-scorched flower, and his life became as dry and barren as a parched field.
However, his life was revived and refreshed by his young daughter, Fong Aoliang. Thus, he was able to write numerous poems, verses, and books again. When his daughter came of age, Fong Zhou-ta himself arranged her marriage to a suitable partner. One would think Fong Zhou-ta's life would then be one of joyful living with children and grandchildren. But sometimes, fate plays tricks on people.
Fong Zhou-ta's daughter passed away during childbirth while delivering the child, Fong Jiefang. Soon after, Fong Zhou-ta's son-in-law also died in an accident. It was like adding a venomous snake to a burning wound. By a twist of fate, old man Fong Zhou-ta was left to care for the pitiful young child. Grandfather Fong Zhou-ta named his last surviving grandchild, Fong Jiefang, as he wished. Now, the pitiful child Fong Jiefang was seven years old.
No one could foresee at that time how mysterious and challenging the life of the child Fong Jiefang would become, or how the martial arts world, which had nothing to do with him, would be turned upside down because of him.
Wu Tatone gazed affectionately at the child Fong Jiefang, who was happily playing among the flowers, and lost himself in thought, forgetting the reason he had come.
This was his habit. Wu Tatone was a man who possessed both sloth and stupor, and the heroic virtues of loyalty and courage.
After a while, Wu Tatone's body stirred slightly. He seemed to remember the purpose of his visit. He walked towards the carefree Fong Jiefang with a joyful face.
"Young master, the grandmaster called for you. He said you should come back when you're done playing."
Little Fong Jiefang frowned slightly.
Dissatisfaction appeared on his face.
"Oh, Uncle Wu, I just started playing! How can I be done? If I go back inside, Grandpa will just make me study again. I don't have any playmates, so I'm bored studying all day."
Wu Tatone's face darkened, like an eclipse, and he seemed distressed for the poor child. A compassionate smile, quite unlike his usual clumsy expression, appeared on his lips. He spoke kindly to the sulking child:
"Your grandpa loves you very much, young master. You are his life, his hope. He makes you study so that you won't be disadvantaged when he's gone, and to nurture you in the best way he can, so you can follow in his footsteps. You mustn't blame grandpa, young master."
Little Fong Jiefang smiled, showing great understanding.
"I understand, Uncle Wu. I only came to play after reading."
Wu Tatone laughed heartily and gently patted Fong Jiefang's head.
"What a smart child! Come on, let's go eat lunch. Your grandpa himself is cooking your favorite tofu dish!"
"Huh? Really, Uncle Wu? Then I'll enjoy my meal today!"
Just then, Wu Tatone jolted, as if remembering something. His face suddenly became serious.
"Oh, by the way, young master, don't fuss at noon, okay? A guest is coming to see the grandmaster. The guest is quite unusual. He doesn't seem to be from Hangzhou; he looks like he's from another region. And he carries a large sword on his back. He looks like someone from the martial arts world. He has a very strange letter with him, young master. He probably doesn't understand the letter and has come to the grandmaster for help."
Fong Jiefang suddenly asked,
"What is a martial artist, Uncle Wu?"
Wu Tatone was puzzled. He bowed his head and thought for a while.
"A martial artist is a separate class of people, different from us, young master. They are very ruthless in killing and cutting, and they are skilled in all sorts of extraordinary arts, young master. These people don't obey imperial decrees; they do as they please. It's best not to associate with such people. I wonder why the grandmaster has to meet this person now."
Wu Tatone continued to grumble for a considerable time, as was his custom. Fong Jiefang smiled faintly, watching Wu Tatone. Then, the two of them exchanged words and walked into the Blissful Estate. They couldn't have known that their happy and peaceful lives would soon be shattered and destroyed.
The Blissful Estate was a very large mansion. It was composed of numerous rooms, each adorned with valuable furnishings. Furthermore, the Blissful Estate employed over 100 servants.
This alone was enough to gauge how grand and magnificent the estate was. Since it was bestowed by the Tang Emperor himself, the grandeur of the Blissful Estate could not be said to be excessive.
The area of the Blissful Estate's compound was as large as an entire district of Hangzhou. Within the compound were ancient trees, fruit trees, flower gardens, and it was so beautiful that anyone who accidentally wandered into the compound would feel as if they had stumbled into a celestial realm within a deep forest.
At the western edge of the compound was a small open plot of land. In front of this plot was a small flower garden, and both the plot and the garden were surrounded by a very dense bamboo grove. In the middle of the bamboo grove was a small pathway.
On the plot of land stood a small hut built of bamboo. It was a very simple hut. It was a two-room dwelling with four pillars, haphazardly built with readily available bamboo. The small pathway in the middle of the bamboo grove led to this hut.
Behind the hut, a kitchen was built as an annex for cooking. Inside the kitchen, an old man was sweating profusely, cooking a dish. The dish the old man was cooking was none other than vegetarian tofu stew.
The old man wore a simple white coarse cloth garment and cheap straw sandals. His hair was completely white, and his beard was a faint brown, as if it would soon turn white. The old man had a very dignified appearance, and one could easily conclude that he was kind, compassionate, and greatly benevolent just by looking at his clear, serene eyes and his lips that held a hint of a smile.
The old man was none other than the most famous figure of the Tang Dynasty, the great scholar Fong Zhou-ta. This bamboo hut was his sanctuary, his palace, for he had little fondness for wealth and riches.
He had only accepted the Blissful Estate because the Emperor had given it. In truth, Fong Zhou-ta didn't truly desire the grand Blissful Estate. Therefore, he didn't even live in it. There was only one place within that grand estate that he used: his study. The books collected from various eras in this study, as large as an entire house, were the only thing he coveted from the Blissful Estate.
Fong Zhou-ta typically used this study for reading, writing, and meeting guests. Today, a guest from the martial arts world had requested a meeting for the afternoon. Before meeting this guest, he was personally cooking his only grandson's favorite tofu dish.
Thinking of his grandson, Fong Zhou-ta's face involuntarily softened into a smile. The child was incredibly intelligent. Even at seven years old, he had memorized many scriptures from the study. Not only could he recite them, but he also thought deeply about their essence.
Sometimes, Fong Zhou-ta himself had to ponder for a while to answer some of the questions his grandson would suddenly ask. If things continued this way, it was certain that his grandson Fong Jiefang would be able to follow in Fong Zhou-ta's footsteps.
"Grandpa, Grandpa! I'm hungry!"
Fong Zhou-ta was happily lost in thought about his grandson's intelligence while cooking. He only refocused his mind when he heard Fong Jiefang's call from the front of the house. The tofu stew was also ready to eat.
"My little rascal has arrived!"
Fong Zhou-ta murmured delightedly and called back to Fong Jiefang.
"My grandson has arrived! Come, come! The dish is ready. Grandpa cooked it especially for you."
Then, the grandfather and grandson, along with their loyal disciple Wu Tatone, set up a small table behind the hut and enjoyed their meal with relish. Wu Tatone, however, did not join them in eating, but instead attended to the grandfather and grandson. This was Wu Tatone's habit. No matter how much Fong Zhou-ta invited him to eat, he never did. He only ate after Fong Zhou-ta had finished.
While eating, Fong Jiefang seemed to remember something. He frowned slightly.
"Grandpa, you said you have a guest today? Who is it, Grandpa?"
"Yes, my grandson. It's a guest from the martial arts world. I don't know who he is, my child. We have nothing to do with the martial arts world. But this is how it is: once upon a time, there was a great and magnificent state called the San Kingdom. This guest who is coming claims to have a letter from the San era. Since he can't read it, he's come to grandpa for help."
Fong Jiefang wrinkled his nose.
"Oh, Grandpa, I know about the Shang era! I just read about it the other day. The book said paper didn't exist in the Shang era. So what this person has must be a stone inscription. The 'letter' he brought must be a copy of the inscriptions from a stone tablet."
Fong Zhou-ta burst out laughing.
"Ha ha ha! My grandson is truly intelligent! So intelligent that I even worry you might go astray. What my grandson said is true; books and paper didn't exist in the San era."
Then, the grandfather and grandson finished their meal. Fong Zhou-ta went to the entrance of the Blissful Estate to greet the guest from the martial arts world. While Fong Zhou-ta was greeting the martial arts guest at the front of the Blissful Estate, a child secretly crept into the study and hid behind a large bookshelf. This child was none other than the mischievous Fong Jiefang.
The bookshelf was about two people tall, and its base was about a foot above the floor. For a 7-year-old child, crawling under the shelf to hide was not very difficult. From his hiding spot behind the shelf, little Fong Jiefang had the idea to crawl under it and peek into the room.
With a creak, the door to the room opened, and a young female servant entered. She checked to ensure the tables and chairs in the room were neatly arranged, and after a while, seemingly satisfied, she prepared a tea set for two on the table. After meticulously arranging everything, the female servant left the room.
The study suddenly fell silent. Little Fong Jiefang remained hidden under the shelf, gradually growing drowsy, and eventually fell asleep. He didn't know how long he slept, but he was startled awake by the sound of voices.
He crawled out from under the shelf and stared intently into the room. Because his eyes weren't yet accustomed to the darkness, he could only see the objects in the room dimly. Soon, his eyes adjusted to the darkness.
He looked towards the table where his grandfather had been talking. The sight he saw terrified the child to his very core. Then he felt sad. Though he felt sad, not a single tear fell from his eyes. Due to the intense pain welling up from the deepest part of his chest, little Fong Jiefang collapsed onto the floor and lost consciousness for the second time.
What kind of sight did Fong Jiefang witness to cause him such distress? The sight he saw was none other than his beloved grandfather lying dead on the floor with a large knife wound to his neck.
In fact, during the brief time little Fong Jiefang was unconscious, over 100 people residing in the Blissful Estate, including its owner, the Tang Dynasty's number one scholar Fong Zhou-ta, had been brutally massacred. The killer had coldly slaughtered all the unconscious people. Only two people in the entire estate miraculously survived: Wu Tatone, who was cooking dinner for the grandfather and grandson in the bamboo hut at the back of the estate, and Fong Jiefang, who was unconscious under the bookshelf.
It was at the graveyard outside Hangzhou. A very bustling funeral was taking place. People crowded not only inside the graveyard but also overflowed onto the streets of Hangzhou. Their faces showed expressions of great sadness and grief. People dressed in mourning attire walked towards Hangzhou's only graveyard.
In truth, a graveyard should not be this crowded. It might seem strange and surprising for an entire city to be overcome with grief for a single funeral.
However, for today, this event was neither strange nor surprising. Was it not fitting for the final journey of the great scholar Fong Zhou-ta, who appeared once in an era, to be this grand and magnificent?
Fong Zhou-ta's death was the loss of a treasure for the people of Hangzhou. For the orphaned child Fong Jiefang, it was the collapse of a golden mountain of support.
Time was passing by. Evening had fallen. The sun, having completed its day's duty, had sunk and disappeared into the western horizon to rest. The surroundings gradually darkened. A wild dog from the forest edge let out a long, mournful howl.
The graveyard, which had been bustling all day, was now silent and desolate, returning to its true nature. In front of a freshly dug grave in the graveyard, a child and an adult were still kneeling. After a while, the adult's body stirred slightly. He looked kindly at the child beside him and embraced him.
"Young master, let's go home. When we get home, I'll cook your favorite tofu stew."
The child, who had been kneeling with his head bowed, lifted his face. When the adult saw the child's face, his body trembled slightly. A chilling sensation arose in the adult's heart, and goosebumps automatically appeared along his spine. His hands, which had been embracing the child, automatically recoiled and dropped away.
The child's face was ashen white, as if drained of blood, and his eyes were fiery red, as if burning with flames. The burning hatred flickering within his mind not only reflected in his eyes, which are called the windows of the soul, but also seemed to set the entire graveyard ablaze. The adult looked at the child, his throat dry, and automatically broke out in a cold sweat.
A dry voice emerged from the child's mouth.
"I'm not going back, Uncle Wu. I've decided to learn martial arts."
At this point, it was clear that the child was Fong Jiefang and the adult was Wu Tatone.
Wu Tatone scratched his head.
"Martial arts, young master? Martial arts and the martial world are too far removed from people like us. If you don't want to go home, come with me to my village. Uncle Wu will take care of you for the rest of his life."
Fong Jiefang's voice emerged again.
"The martial world may be far from us, but a martial artist killed my grandfather, Uncle Wu. That's why I must learn martial arts. Only when I master martial arts can I bring justice for my grandfather and the over one hundred people."
Fong Jiefang's words were mature, unlike those of a child. In reality, his grandfather's death had instantly transformed little Fong Jiefang from a child into an adult.
"I'm going to the Shaolin Temple, Uncle Wu. Please take me. Even if you don't take me, I'll go there myself."
Wu Tatone forced a bitter smile.
"I will take you, young master."
Then, the two of them, the grand-nephew and his guardian, set off towards the great Shaolin Temple, often referred to as a comet of the martial arts world. No one but the Almighty could have known what twists and turns would occur during their three-month journey.